The Journey to Becoming a Missionary in West Africa

I grew up during a period in the Mennonite church when there was great emphasis placed on missions and service. It was preached and taught like it was everyone's responsibility to be involved in missions/service as a normal expression of one's faith. I really appreciate that emphasis. I hope it is still that way.

In 1959 when I was still 18 I started my two years of alternate service and went with MCC to Morocco in North Africa. That was my introduction to Africa. I enjoying that time very much and especially living cross-culturally. From that experience I knew the Lord wanted me back in Africa once I had my education completed.

But getting back to Africa didn't happen nearly as soon as I thought it would. It took 40 years, but I finally made it. And I am very happy to be here.

I came back over in Jan. 2000 as a volunteer with YWAM on their medical ship. It was docked at the time in Banjul, Gambia. After 3 months with YWAM I started living in Gambia thinking I would be helping at one of the churches in the port city. I was involved at one of the churches but a specific ministry never did develop there.

A Lifelong Journey in Mission

The final quarter of the 20^th century found me spending a good deal of my time on the seat of a Massey-Fergusson 255 farm tractor, grooming and nurturing a ninety acre diversified orchard on the easterly sloping floor of Oregon’s Willamette valley.

What a beautiful place to live! As the M-F swung around heading down the next row of trees, through the canopy of leaves, I could catch glimpses of the snow capped panorama of peaks: Rainier, St. Helens (what was left of it), Hood, Jefferson, Three Sisters- the inspiring splendor of the Cascades.
Our family lived in an antique farmhouse, heated with wood pruned from the orchard. It was neat to live in a dwelling that numerous generations had called home even if it needed constant fix up and restoration so it wouldn’t collapse on us. My constant companions out in the orchard were a succession of faithful Boxer dogs, always eager for a snack on the pesky gophers inhabiting the orchard turf.

We were active participants in the life around Western Mennonite School, Salem and Northwest Mennonite Conference. Each season of the year had its joys and routines from the promise of April’s cherry blossoms to October’s MCC relief sale to the ancient carols of Christmas in December. I got involved in international bicycle touring and MDS to satisfy my trekking and wanderlust instincts and as breaks from the farming routines. It was a great way to spend those middle years of life.

While life was not perfect, it certainly was good. At times I would pinch myself just to make sure this all was real, not just a dream.

Guinea Bissau November 2012

Guinea Bissau Stories of Transformation:

While Seekers Find Jesus, Missionaries Sharpen Vision

Augusto da Silva is a 22 year old from the Mandiago tribe of Guinea Bissau. He grew up in the village of Grimole only a half mile from Catel. Starting in 2009 he has suffered from two afflictions: First he has been ill much of the time; just not feeling well and secondly nearly every night he has experienced troubling, ugly dreams.

In these vivid dreams an evil, ghostly creature came close to him. The face of the creature was the image of one of his friends. Sometimes this creature wrapped his fingers around Augusto’s throat and attempted to strangle him, other times the creature would press down on his chest to cause injury. When he awoke from the dream he would actually have pain in his neck or chest where he was being attacked. 

The Mandiago tribe is known to be a hard working, business oriented people. They are generally more culturally advanced than the Balanta people, our majority tribe. The Mandiagos are heavily into occultic practices and have many idols, sacred trees and votive offering sites around their houses. They also readily identify themselves as Catholic.