What do you do at SIM NZ? If you could describe your role in no more than two sentences, what would you tell us?

The Global Engagement Mobiliser: I journey with churches and focus on building relationships with church leaders as they grow and increase their involvement in missions. I also have the privilege of walking alongside our candidates as they move through the process of preparing for overseas mission. 

Tell us about your journey into global missions.

Truth be told, my heartbeat has always been for the local church, and I never saw myself leaving the USA shores.  At the end of my university career, I had the opportunity to tour with an orchestra (mission work was involved) to Hungary and Czechoslovakia. This trip deeply impacted me and was the spark that God would use to shape me in the years to follow. Through circumstances and life experience, 15 years ago, God led our little family to New Zealand as missionaries to a small local church.  That put me on the path to falling in love with global mission. God continued to put opportunities and open doors for me to step deeper into understanding His purposes through mission. 

How did you come to work with SIM, and how long have you been working for the NZ office?

In 2016, my husband, Rob, became the national director for SIM NZ.  At that time, we went through the process to become members of SIM, shifting from the missions agency we had come to New Zealand with.  In that first year, I supported Rob and the office however I could, and in 2017 applied for the SIMTrain coordinator role.  Since that time, my role grew both in hours and scope, until the big shift happened at the beginning of this year, moving me into the mobiliser role. 

What do you enjoy about working for SIM?

I love that I get to do ministry every day with an amazing team.  I love the vision and values of SIM, and to be a part of something so much bigger than I am, working together for the kingdom. 

What are some of the challenges in your role?

In the mobiliser role, I have to wear many different hats, which I love the diversity of what I do, however, it can be a struggle to have enough hours in a day.  I also wish I had the superpower of being able to be everywhere I need to be in NZ with a snap of the finger.  

Tell us about your family.

Rob and I have two young adult sons, Caleb (26) and Aedan (20). Caleb is finishing his Masters in Marine Conservation at Auckland University and Aedan is in the Arts Design Degree at Massey in Wellington.  We love our fur babies (a dog and a cat), and they give us great companionship.  All our family is in the States (mainly the east coast), who we miss dearly and are our greatest supporters. 

What do you enjoy in your spare time?

If you can’t find me, I’ll be at the ocean or in the mountains! I love camping and flyfishing with my husband. I love everything music and theatre (I’m currently learning guitar), and crafting keeps my creative juices flowing (sewing, needlework and knitting).

A lesson you have learnt in life that you would like to share:

God is in it ALL – even when we don’t see it, feel it or believe it.  There have been so many seasons that I didn’t understand the why (I’m a breast cancer survivor, job loss, shifting overseas so far from family…just to name a few).  But hand on heart, I see God now in ways I never would have known Him. He has grown me, led me, and IS in it all.  I know He isn’t done yet, and I know hard circumstances are still to come, but I am also assured that in the biggest and smallest details, somehow, some way, He’s got it. 

How can we pray for you?

Stepping into this mobilising role, it is new, and there is a learning curve.  As Kat (our other mobiliser) and I work through a mobilisation strategy, please pray that God goes before it and that there would be an overflow of opportunities for connecting with churches and individuals to further God’s kingdom through mission. 

There are seasons when the struggle of being away from family is hard.  Pray for us as we navigate those hard seasons, that God would draw us even closer (though we are distant).  And as all four of us hope to have some time in the States at the end of the year to be with family, that there will be provision in every way to allow that to happen.

To give to the SIM NZ office, visit here https://sim.org.nz/give/