Our Testimony

David’s Testimony
     Growing up as a missionary kid, I was
exposed to the gospel at an early age.
When I was a young boy, I knew that I was
a sinner and asked Christ to be my Savior.
Shortly thereafter, I was baptized.
     My parents were missionaries in South
Africa. When I was nine years old, we
changed fields and moved to Portugal,
where we lived for the next four and a half
years. As a missionary kid, I was able to be
involved in the ministry with my parents.
Whether it was passing out tracts, setting
up chairs for Sunday school, giving a Bible
story to young kids, or watching my parents
witness to our neighbors, I caught a vision
for what it means to be a missionary and to
give my life to serve the Lord.
     When we left Portugal, I thought in the
back of my mind that one day I would
return. My teacher, at the Portuguese
elementary school I attended, would
sometimes say, “David, someday you are
going to come back and be the American
ambassador to Portugal.” Little did I know
then that I would return as an ambassador,
but even better, as an ambassador for
Christ.
     Through high school, college, and
seminary, God deepened that burden and
desire to the point that I knew that God
wanted me to give my life as a missionary.
     As only God can do, He led me to my
wife, Sarah. It’s neat to see how our lives
complement each other in how we serve
the Lord together. God has truly blessed
our lives in amazing ways and has
uniquely prepared us to share the gospel
in Portugal and to establish churches
there.

Sarah's Testimony
     I was blessed to grow up in a Christian
family where I heard about Jesus my entire
life. One day, when I was about seven
years old, I asked Jesus into my heart. I
was baptized in my home church in North
Dakota.
     When my family moved to Tennessee,
the church we joined had a deaf ministry;
there I had my first exposure to deaf people
and their need for Christ. God was
burdening my heart to reach them. Since
deaf people could not hear the gospel on a
radio program or in any church, they
needed someone to learn their language
and explain the gospel to them. I believed
this ministry of reaching and teaching deaf
people was what God wanted me to do.
     After high school, I went to college and
studied Sign Language, Deaf Education,
and Missions. At that time, God was
directing me to my husband. David had a
burden to do missions work in Portugal. I
felt called to the deaf in any country where
God led me. After years of prayer and
seeking God’s will, we believed God was
leading us to serve together. We were
married in June 2007.
     Now, we are seeking God’s will for the
next step. We believe God would have us
minister in Portugal through church
planting, deaf ministry, evangelism, and
discipleship. I know the road ahead will be
full of challenges and blessings. God has
been faithful throughout my life, and He will
continue to be faithful to the end.