OUR VISION & MISSION

Vision: Numerous Bible colleges, seminaries and Christian schools have been established by Evangelical Mission Agencies in developing countries. Many of these institutions could significantly improve the level of their educational programs, and the quality of their graduates, by developing quality library resource centers. Our goal is to help them do so.

Mission: To improve the quality of education in Christian Mission institutions in developing countries by providing the expertise needed to establish and develop up-to-date library information resource centers and services.

OUR STORY

More than forty years ago we were given the incredible opportunity to serve in Nigeria for Christian Reformed World Missions where we worked for eight years (1964-1972) at Mkar Teachers’ College and a brief time at Hillcrest School. It changed our lives forever. We always hoped that we would be able to return to mission work at some point in our lives. Now that we are retired our desire has been realized!

For the first twenty two years after we returned from Nigeria, we carried on our lives in a rather typical fashion. Ray was a Christian School principal in Oshawa, Ontario for two years. During that time he completed his requirements for a Masters Degree in Library and Information Science. We then returned to the U.S. and he became Director of Library and Media services for a school district in Park Ridge, Illinois. Barbara’s first priority was being a stay-at-home mom while our three children grew up. As the children grew up, she ventured into the business world where she became an administrative assistant in one of Waste Management’s corporate departments. But the desire to return to mission work remained deeply imbedded in our hearts.

In 1994, The State of Illinois offered qualified educators a one time early retirement incentive by adding five additional years of service. After a quick check on our finances, we realized that this was an opportunity of a lifetime that would give us a chance to return to some type of volunteer mission work. With that in mind, Ray retired in 1994 and Barbara followed two years later, in 1996.

Our first volunteer mission service was to help build a recording studio for Audio Scripture Ministries in Nairobi, Kenya in 1996. We were smitten! We knew then, as we still know, that we want to be of service as volunteer missionaries as long as we have opportunities to do so, and God blesses us with good health and energy. We discovered that there is a great need in the mission world for assistance in building up library services. Since that time, we have served for twenty two stints of a few weeks to a school year in organizing, expanding and improving libraries in evangelical theological colleges, mission schools and other institutions in underdeveloped areas of the world. We have volunteered not only for Audio Scripture Ministries in Nairobi, Kenya, but at Rosslyn Academy in Nairobi for the 1997/98 school year. Ray was Info/Media Specialist and Barbara taught computer classes to grades 4-12. We also set up libraries in Rehoboth, New Mexico, Heritage International Christian School in Uganda, Pacific Islands Bible College on the Island of Guam in the Western Pacific Ocean, Reformed Institute for Theological Training in Eldoret, Kenya, and Christian College of Theology in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

CURRENT CHALLENGES

We are dedicated to help develop a critically important area in missions today—to improve and modernize the libraries in theological colleges and other mission institutions in developing countries. Christian Reformed World Missions has appointed us as long term volunteers serving as theological library consultants. To that end, we are still providing leadership in developing the libraries at the Christian College of Theology Bangladesh (CCTB) and the Reformed Institute for Theological Training (RITT) in Kenya and the Pacific Islands Bible College (PIBC) in Guam/Chuuk.

We are also undertaking a substantial new mission endeavor. Under the auspices of Christian Reformed World Missions, we are providing the leadership to develop a network of Christian librarians to work alongside us to strengthen libraries in mission institutions in developing countries. The formation of the network is just in its in initial stages and is a formidable challenge and task. It is a collaborative project by CRWM and Reformed Church of America World Missions.

Our work will most likely increase in the future. It is our intent to continue to work in developing countries as much as possible. However, we also recognize that our organizational leadership is needed to develop the Christian Librarian’s Network which will potentially improve the quality of education offered at theological colleges and other mission institutions in developing countries. It is our prayer that other retired Christian librarians will share our vision, and some will be willing to go on short term volunteer mission trips to mission institutions in developing countries, or assist in other ways.

We are excited by the challenge of serving God, missions and our fellowman through our unique ministry. Theological schools and other mission institutions in developing countries recognize that they need to organize and access the ever increasing amount of theological information available both in books and through the use of electronic sources. We are thankful that God has equipped us to assist them by bringing their libraries into the 21^st century.