Oliver - After attending a youth retreat when I was 16 years old, a youth group started in my small town. What impressed me about the couple that led the youth group was that they practiced what they preached. This in turn made me want to find out more about Jesus and the Bible. During this first year of the youth group, I opened my heart to Christ. During the youth retreat we had studied the story of Joseph from the Old Testament and looking back I find it really helpful and encouraging to have learned from the beginning that “others might mean it for evil but God has a good plan (Genesis 50:20 NIV 20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”)
My call to Thailand came when a missionary visited us at the beginning of 2010 while we were serving at Holsby Bible School, the Torchbearer Bible School in Sweden. He shared with a number of students about his work in Northern Thailand and Deborah and I were really impressed. At his recommendation we got in touch with OMF. Three years later (February 2013) we were sent out by OMF Canada to work in Northern Thailand with Mekong Minorities. We have now been with the Mekong field for over 11 years.
Deborah - I grew up in a Christian family. My parents were involved in ministry and I had a lot of exposure to Christianity, but it was when I was 7 years old that God convicted me of my sin and my personal need for Him, which led me to accept Jesus as my personal saviour. Ever since, He has been so faithful to teach me and guide me in the truth. Around the age of 14, I knew that God was calling me into missions. Though I was a little resistant at first, God began growing a desire in me to learn more, which I did by reading many missionary biographies, watching mission films, and learning whatever I could about other cultures. I got involved in an international student ministry in Calgary, and I also went on two short-term mission trips to Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. God used those experiences to cement that ever-growing desire to be involved in what He is doing overseas.
My Current role in OMF
We are involved in church planting and discipleship among the Karen minority group in Northern Thailand, with a special desire to see Karen believers equipped to share the Gospel with unreached Karen villages, near-culture people groups, and beyond.
We want to challenge the Karen to be rooted in Christ and His Word. Out of a close and vibrant relationship with Him the individual Karen will bear fruit (see John 15:1-5, especially 'If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit'). This will have an affect on other locals (believers and unbelievers), other churches, other villages and beyond.
As we are now based in the city of Chiang Mai, Deborah has been able to get involved in some ministry in the city as well. She is part of a Christian team of language consultants, offering English language services to medical students and faculty at the local university. This has opened many doors for sharing the gospel with students and mentees.
About OMF
OMF is a global fellowship of Christians with a heart for East Asia. We share the good news of Jesus Christ in all its fullness with East Asia’s peoples to the glory of God. We are passionate to demonstrate and proclaim the good news to East Asia’s billions, many of whom have never seen or heard it.
In places where there are no churches or limited resources, we humbly and prayerfully engage in church planting. In places where the church already exists, we serve alongside it to strengthen and extend it.