Testimonies

Christy’s Testimony

On Christmas Eve, 1983, I realized that I was a sinner, even at the age of five. My mother showed me from the Bible that Jesus paid the penalty for my sin, and that day I accepted Him as Lord and Savior of my life. I was baptized one year later.  On a Wednesday night at church, I saw a picture story about the life of Amy Carmichael. The story described God’s perfect plan to use her life in ministry.  As I listened to that story, I felt the Lord tugging at my heart and whispering, “I have a plan for you, too!” At the same time, my heart answered, “Please, send me!” I dedicated my life that night, at the age of seven, to full-time missionary service.

I began preparing for whatever ministry the Lord had chosen for me.  I tried to be involved in as many different ministries as possible to give me a wide base of experience. I praise God I was able to attend Christian schools for a Biblical education.  The Lord also allowed me to attend Tennessee Temple University, where I majored in Missions.  I had the privilege of taking two short-term trips and one internship to see true life and ministry overseas.  I also majored in American Sign Language. When I led a deaf girl in signing the prayer for salvation, the Lord gave me a tremendous burden to share the gospel with those who cannot hear. 

God has been shaping me for the ministry we are now entering.  God has led us to Benin, West Africa where we will be developing youth leaders and church planting. I will also have the privilege of assisting national Christians in three deaf schools.  Amazingly, French Sign is almost exactly like American Sign, so I will be able to begin ministering immediately to the deaf children.  To God be the glory for all He has done in my life, and now I am excited to see what He will do in Africa with the gifts He has given.

Rob’s Testimony

I had the privilege of growing up with parents who believed in teaching the Word of God, but I was greatly involved in sports, and I made them my top priority. By the age of 16, I stopped attending church, and I pushed toward a career in professional hockey. I attended a Christian Athlete Hockey Camp every year to get away from home, and to put my time into “Christianity.”  In November of 1996, a friend from school invited me to go to a youth conference, where she insisted I would have a good time. While there, I was forced to answer the question, “If you were to die today, would you go to Heaven?” Even though I had grown up in church, this question had never crossed my mind. I made the decision to go forward and to be shown from the Bible how I could know 100% that I would spend eternity in Heaven.  I committed my life to Christ that night, and accepted His free gift of forgiveness at the altar of a full auditorium. 

That experience changed my life, and from then on, I have purposed in my heart to live for God.  I returned to church, was baptized, and separated myself from the worldly influences of my past. In the summer of 1997, I returned to Hockey Ministries International as a counselor in training.  During that week, God burdened my heart to work with youth. Perhaps by hearing my testimony, they could avoid choosing the hard route to God.  The Lord called me to go to school to learn more about the Bible and how to minister to youth.  God then provided a way for me to attend Tennessee Temple University. After my first year of school, I went on a short-term missions trip to Jamaica, and I felt the Lord call me to be a foreign missionary. 

Since then, the Lord has led my wife and me to Benin, West Africa. Because 50% of the population is under the age of 14, we will be actively involved with developing youth workers. We will also be assisting nationals in church planting.  I am so enthusiastic about what God is doing in our lives, and I anticipate the great things God will do in the years ahead.