When did you first become interested in missions?
I’ve always been interested in missions. Growing up, we often had missionaries in our home for meals. That interest grew as a teen, and during medical school in 1981, I did my internship at an ABWE hospital in the Philippines.
How did you first become interested in ABWE Canada?
Pastor Reg Snell was pastor of my church growing up, and also served on the ABWE Board. When it came time for me to choose between five missions accepting medical interns, Pastor Snell wanted me to go with ABWE, but no one had gone with ABWE before, so I was considering other alternatives. Over the course of that year, Dr. Kempton and five other ABWE representatives came and spoke in my church. I took that as a “sign”.
How long have you served with ABWE Canada?
I started on the ABWE Advisory Council in 1989, and at that time Dr. Dwight Spencer was the medical advisor. I then joined the ABWE Board in the early 1990s, and in 2003 became the Treasurer. During that time I often gave medical advice to the Canadian missionaries, but everyone went through the States for approval.
I officially became the Medical Director in 2007, with the incorporation of ABWE Canada.
What did you like most about this position?
I loved being involved with our missionaries personally and serving them by helping with specific needs. I also feel that my medical specialty was something that I could add to my position as a Board member.
How can churches pray for their missionaries as it relates to their health?
More and more of our missionaries are dealing with mental health issues. Pray for more medical people to help, as missionaries on the field need someone that they can connect to.
Pray for our missionaries to be healthy. There is a high stress level of the field, and so pray that they will make time for family and to relax, and to get needed support from their field teams.
Pray for missionaries to have access to health care while on the field and when back on furlough. There is a lot more access to medical care on most fields now than in the past, so it is important to maintain communication between the field and their Canadian doctor.
Any other comments?
It has always been an honour and a privilege to serve with ABWE. The mission has great like-minded people, and I have had the privilege to connect with so many of them.
