Hello! I am a teacher from Palm Coast, Florida, and I am a graduate of Trinity Baptist College. I travel with the Olson family as a home-school teacher as well as an interpreter for their children Amanda and David as we visit churches. I’m so glad to be part of this team!
I was born to Christian parents, who were dedicated to raising their children in the nurture of the Lord. I am the youngest of three. When I was four years old, my Dad tucked me in bed each night, told me he loved me, and gave me the same admonition, “You need to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.” One night, I decided to repent and put my faith in Jesus Christ. At ten years of age, unsure of my sincerity in the past, I recommitted my heart and life to Him.
Ever since childhood, when my Mom read missionary stories to me, I have wanted to be a missionary. I wanted to bring the good news of Jesus to people who have never heard the gospel. In my high school years, I had my first golden opportunity and I taught an after-school Bible club in a public school. I found I thoroughly enjoyed teaching. As high school came to a close, I knew I still wanted to be a light for Jesus in the world. I enrolled in Bible college to earn a degree in elementary education. My hope was that I could someday work as a teacher and be a witness to my students.
At college, I began attending Trinity Baptist Church, and discovered they had a deaf ministry. It was there that I met the Olsons. John was the deaf pastor and Tricia taught the deaf ladies Sunday school class. I was stricken by their devotion to the Lord. I had taken a sign language course already and wanted to continue learning, so I attended the deaf services for the rest of my college career. Additionally, I joined the Olson’s singles ministry and began doing service projects and mission trips with them. As I learned more sign language and deaf culture, I realized how little access deaf people have to the gospel. God placed a burden on my heart to reach them.
After graduation, I pursued teaching, working first as a substitute and later as a paraprofessional with autistic children in public school. Not long after, God opened the door for the Olsons to return to missions work. They asked me to pray about serving with them in GO Deaf Missions. In the meantime, while I enjoyed my job in the public school, regulations were keeping me from being the kind of witness I wanted to be. It was becoming clear that teaching was not going to be as effective for Christ as I had once thought. I prayed about working with John and Tricia and sought advice from some missionary friends and my mom. They helped me see that in joining the Olsons’ team, I would be able to be a witness, teach school, and minister to the Deaf. It was perfect! I realized this is what God had placed in my heart even as a child.
As a missionary, my primary goal is to obey the great commission of Jesus to “go ye therefore and teach all nations.” I can reach people that have never had the opportunity to “hear” the gospel. As I teach David and Amanda, people of underdeveloped countries will see first-hand that deaf people are of great worth to God. They will discover that Deaf people are intelligent and can learn. They, too, can learn God’s Word.
One desire our team shares is to be an encouragement to missionaries who may be weary serving on the field. I have the opportunity to encourage others who teach deaf people. I share their challenges and look forward to sharing helpful ideas and resources. Even Elijah at one time thought he was the lone servant of God, but God reminded him there were thousands who still served the Lord. I am excited God can use me to encourage others in this way.
While I am new to GO Deaf Missions, I am not new to ministry. I started serving the Lord in the church nursery at twelve years old and continue to do so when available. For six years, I volunteered in Good News Clubs. I also spent three summers volunteering in Christian Youth in Action. Both are programs of Child Evangelism Fellowship developed to reach children who do not attend Church with the gospel. I also served in AWANA Clubs as a Cubbies leader for one year during high school and another three years during college.
I participated on missions trips to seven foreign countries. I traveled across the United States with a drama team and performed in an evangelistic play in American Sign Language in several churches. In 2016, I organized a small group of young people to sing Christmas carols at two nursing homes, singing and signing simultaneously. I am thankful for the new opportunities I will have serving the Lord with GO Deaf Missions.
- Pray for me. No work of God can be accomplished without the power of God resting on the laborers.
- Send financial support. I need support to cover living and travel expenses as we minister.
- Ask God for more teachers. It would be a blessing to have co-laborers join our team and assist me with teaching so I have more time to spend in reaching the lost.