When I was five years of age I attended a Sunday School class, where I learned about Jesus. I went home and talked to my mom about what I had learned and she clarified and affirmed my new found belief in God!

At the young age of eight, the passion for missions was introduced to me in the form of a book. The particular book I was reading at the time was Don Richardson’s “Peace Child”. It is the story of his life among a cannibalistic tribal group know as the Sawi. What caught my attention in the book was the fact that people were still living primitively, without ever having had a chance to hear the gospel. The ministry that Don Richardson described, excited me like nothing ever had, or has since.

As I grew older, so did my passion. In high school I started to make plans as to how I could best pursue my desire to be a missionary. I contacted, and researched different mission organizations to see what their focus was, and to see what would fit me best. I had gone on a number of short term missions trips throughout junior high and high school, and had several experiences with different mission organizations.

On one particular trip to Papua New Guinea I found that the organization heading up the trip fit my criteria. That organization was New Tribes Mission. Coming home from that trip I had decided New Tribes Mission was the organization I would like to serve with.

I was 6 years old and had never heard of God or His son, Jesus. I remember a lady with long red hair standing in our doorway. The lady asked if my sister, Crystal, and I wanted to attend the local Bible day camp. Excited about this new adventure I begged my mom to let us go. She agreed and that Monday I sat and listened to a story about a man named Jesus for the first time. The stories of Jesus continued throughout the week, and by Friday afternoon I understood I was a sinner destined for eternity in hell. But I also had come to the realization that I was not hopeless. God had provided a way through His son for me to have a relationship with Him and live with Him throughout eternity. I raised my hand to talk with someone after the meeting. The same lady with long red hair led me to a large rock on the edge of a river, and we prayed. My relationship with God had begun.

It was the same day I believed in the finished work of Christ, that I knew I was to be a missionary. Being a 6 year old who had never step foot into a church, I wasn’t familiar with the term missionary. I simply wanted to be like that lady who had come to my door and asked me to come to day camp. I wanted to go out and tell others about God, and I started with my family. Soon we were attending a little white church. Now, 18 years after making that decision I am in Indonesia learning the language!