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Some background information on me

PRESENTATION

It is not enough to have knowledge of the Christian faith, rather it consists of practice.
Philip Jacob Spener, 1675

The religious workerť is not the only person called to the sacred task. So, too, is the farmer, painter, maintenance worker, scientist, educator, homemaker, plumber, writer, or carpenter. In the Protestant work ethic,ť work is service-oriented, serving God, the future, and one's fellow man.
Darrow L. Miller, 1989

A missionary is generally perceived as a preacher or evangelist who is working on foreign soil. While in Bible School I discovered that God has prepared each one of us with skills and talents we will need for our lives. He wants us to use these talents for His kingdom purposes. Missions organizations around the world are pleading for people skilled in education, construction, aviation, grounds maintenance, agriculture, engine maintenance, medicine, and every other conceivable talent.

I love to fix things that are broken. I love the challenge of using the materials I have on hand to solve a problem. I am intrigued by how everything works. My heart is to help missionaries now in the field. I can repair their vehicles, computers, appliances, and help with construction. I have been trained to dig wells and build a water filter and use solar gain. I have some training in agriculture and Third World medicine. I am always seeking to learn more. I want to be able to help a missionary with whatever problem he may have. As I talk to missionaries in the field, they describe a great need for my skills.

A Pennsylvania native, I moved to Wisconsin in the fall of 1994, at the age of 20, after graduating with an Associate's Degree in electronics. I worked as an electronics bench tech for 5 years. In January of 1997 my life was changed when my church, Portview Christian Center, experienced a revival. I left my job in August of 1999 and enrolled at the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry in Pensacola, Florida. During my last semester at the school FIRE School grew out of BRSM, and I graduated with an Associate's Degree in Practical Ministry. After a semester of internship, I returned to Wisconsin to begin fundraising and practical training to prepare for full time missions work. During the next several years I worked part time, built relationships, took trips, and refined my understanding of what God would have me do.

I am willing to go anywhere there is a need. In April of 2005 I went to Mercy Ships' Agriculture Department in Garden Valley, Texas to spend a month volunteering in construction of new agriculture offices and helping with the farm operation. While there I met Stephanie Herzog, a nurse training in the Medical Missions class. We were married August 20th, 2005.

We began married life residing in a 28 foot travel trailer, living at the campground at Mercy Ships and working with the Agriculture Department in maintenance, animal husbandry and agriculture. Mercy Ships is an international organization which focuses on community development work. A ship will dock at a Third World location for several months at a time. The team on board will care for medical needs. Teams based from the ship will spend the time in the local communities teaching and establishing programs in child care, health, education, agriculture, construction, (small industry, money making, entrepreneurial, ) , and sanitation. The work Steph and I do supports the agriculture teams. For more than a year now, our presence at the Agriculture Department has not only permitted much maintenance work to be accomplished, but we are able to "maintain the fort" while the directors are away teaching in foreign countries for extended periods of time. This has been an invaluable asset to the department. As we have more funds in place, we will travel to foreign locations to do maintenance work for missionaries.

During the summer of 2006 we felt the Lord confirmed to us that we are to stay at Mercy Ship's Agriculture Department for the next several years. Thus, we purchased a mobile home, and are enjoying the extra room we now have to offer hospitality to others.