• Ministry to orphaned & vulnerable children
• Outreach into the community
• Assist with church planting & development
• Discipleship
• Training of caregivers

I grew up in a small town in western Iowa. Both my parents were raised in a mainstream denomination, but neither had heard the Gospel or understood their need of salvation. When I was 5 years old a man by the name of Chuck DeCleene was able to help my parents understand that eternal life and peace with God can not be obtained by living according to a certain code of conduct, or by anything that we as sinful humans can offer to God.

Shortly thereafter my mom sat down with me and explained to me that I was a sinner, and that because of my sinfulness I would not be able to go to Heaven when I died. She also explained to me the good news, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. Therefore, by accepting Jesus payment on my behalf my sinfulness would be covered and I could spend eternity in Heaven with God.

Obviously I don’t remember exactly everything that she told me that day, however, I do remember that I understood my need of a Savior. To this day, I have absolutely no doubt about what happens after my life on this earth is over. I know I am ready to stand before God at anytime He should require, not based on my own righteous deeds, but based on the fact that He sees me as righteous through the blood of His Son.

The Bible clearly teaches that God is holy and cannot be associated with sin in any way, which separates me - a sinner - from Him. He is also completely just, which means sin’s eternal death penalty must be paid. However, God is also a God of love, offering His Son Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross as satisfaction for the penalty of sin. Therefore, whoever accepts this free gift by faith is reconciled to God, and receives eternal life and peace.

I urge you, if you have never done so before, to accept the offer the loving God makes freely to anyone who will come. You too can know the absolute joy that comes from an intimate relationship with the Almighty God.

• Wife & mother
• Assist with the ministry of her husband
• Care for orphans
• Tutor children

I was born and raised in the small town of Springfield, CO. I was raised in a Christian family and was blessed with a firm Biblical foundation. I put my trust in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior at the age of 5.

I began to have doubts about my salvation a couple years later. For awhile I kept putting off those doubts, but at the age of 10, I finally addressed the issue. During our church VBS, I wasn’t paying attention when the invitation was given, and when the person next to me raised her hand I did also. The next thing I knew I was being led out of the auditorium to small room where one of my youth leaders went over the entire plan of salvation. I knew I already believed that Jesus death on the cross paid the penalty for my sin.

I claim John 3:16 as God’s promise of salvation, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life”. From that point on I have had no doubt of my eternal destiny.

At the age of 12, once again at my church’s VBS, I felt the Lord working in my life and was led to dedicate my life to serve the Lord. It was obviously impossible to tell at such a young age where the Lord would lead me in the future, but I did feel that someday I would be involved in full-time Christian service.

Amber and I met at Faith Baptist Bible College, where I received a Pastoral degree, and Amber squeezed both a Secretarial and Elementary Education degree into 5 years. We began dating in April 2001 and were married the summer of 2002.

After we got married we started attending Slater Baptist Church, where we met Brian & Lois Niehoff. At the time Brian was building houses and Lois was a nurse. Amber and I had planned on going into a church planting ministry in the US, but obviously God had other plans.

After the Niehoffs decided to go to South Africa as missionaries they began to nag us to come join them. For awhile we dismissed the idea, because we were confident that God had called us to minister here in the States. However, we wanted to be careful that we would not be so confident that we knew God’s will for our lives that we would miss is when He chose to redirect our thinking. After several months of thinking and praying we determined that God indeed could be calling us to Africa.

In November 2006 we took a trip to visit The Pines Christian Care Centre for Children. By this time Brian & Lois were on the field full time. God really used this trip to show us specifically how we could serve Him there. Seeing the overwhelming needs firsthand challenged us in ways it is hard to explain. It really causes you to evaluate your priorities and what you count as important. Our trip to Welkom confirmed the desire be used by God in a place so full of opportunity. After serving at The Pines for about 18 months, God led us, through a variety of events, to seek to establish another children’s home in the Welkom area. Together with the Niehoffs, we intend to continue reaching those affected and infected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic with the message of hope found in Jesus Christ.

We are often asked what our ministry is. That is a difficult question to answer. The easiest answer is whatever it takes. Our primary goal is to see individuals come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and see them grow to maturity demonstrated by spiritual reproducing themselves. Operation of a children’s home is a large, but not exclusive, part of that desire.

We firmly believe that the Word of God has the answers to every problem mankind can face. The Bible is our authority, and in the strength and grace of God we will not deviate from its message.

The needs facing the Welkom area are tremendous, and our work could be limited in the number and age of children we will be able to accept. Amber and I have a desire to reach out to those within the community with physical and spiritual needs, in addition to working with the children who brought to us for care.

These are people who largely have never been truly loved. Hopefully they will see the love of God in our lives. We are in a unique ministry, and as we continue to serve we will surely find methods and ministries that are more effective than others. We covet your prayers as God shows us how He would use us.