The Call

Bob – In 1989, 2 years after I started a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I prayed a prayer I had not prayed before. I asked the Lord to raise up laborers for the harvest field. In that moment the Lord spoke to me in an audible voice (the only time I have ever heard Him audibly) asking me to be His missionary to Africa. The past 19 years have been a path of preparation as I was a school teacher (20 years), short term missionary (1year), and pastor for the last 8 years in Spencer, Iowa.

Barb – I was called to missions at a boys and girls camp. That call was confirmed and strengthened through my teen years and Bible college. I received my BA degree from North Central University in 1990 and have been actively involved in ministry for 19 years.

How We Met

We first met at Barb’s home church in Spencer in 1989. Bob had begun attending the church 3 years prior to our “meeting” and was in leadership as a deacon. Barb returned home from Minneapolis that summer to do an internship as a youth pastor. We liked each other from our first meeting but Barb was already engaged. Bob needed a distraction so he left to farm with a friend for 6 weeks that summer. When he returned Barb was no longer engaged! We started spending time together and became friends. We enjoyed each other very much but didn’t think it wise to continue the relationship into the fall because our lives were headed in different directions. Barb was called to ministry/missions and Bob was a teacher. It was at this time that Bob received his call to missions and that opened the door for us to continue our relationship.