Link Missionaries
St Tom’s has links with four families who are faithfully doing God’s work in other places: The Parkers are serving in aviation ministry in Papua New Guinea; the Goscombes are serving in parish ministry in remote Western Australia; the Vander Heidens are serving as Bible teachers in Portugal and the Taylors are serving as Bible teachers in Tanzania.
Stephen and Paula Parker
Stephen and Paula Parker (with their children Anna, Timothy and Daniel) are currently serving as missionaries in Papua New Guinea through Wycliffe Australia.
Stephen works in aviation ministry by servicing aircraft, which is essential work to bring translations of the Bible to the Papua New Guineans in their own language. Paula and the children are actively involved in supporting Stephen in his work and building relationships with the local community.
Richard and Tracy Goscombe
Richard and Tracy Goscombe (with their children Rachel, Josh and Sarah) moved from Cranebrook to the West Australian mining town of Wickham in 2009. Richard is Wickham’s first Anglican Minister in a decade. There is no church — as in the people or a building to meet in — but the Goscombes have already had opportunities to make relationships in the community. “I am actually grateful for the opportunity that not having a building provides to break some religious stereotypes,” says Richard. “Rather than people in the town thinking we are just here to bring religious rituals, I am hoping to establish a chaplaincy style ministry to the whole town that shows God is relevant to every part of their lives.”
Most people move to North West Australia for the big dollars on offer. Wickham is a small town near Karratha, more than 1,600 km north of Perth. Mining is the main industry among the 1,800 residents. There is a high level of disposable income, but in spite of the prosperity, such wealth has given rise to many problems; notably binge drinking among young people with too much money and time on their hands. With 30% of the community being indigenous, there are a number of divisive issues, but unity is found on the sporting field with both AFL and even NRL being popular. Apart from Wickham, the Goscombes seek to serve the people of the seaside village at Point Samson, the men’s and women’s prison (many of the inmates are local to the area), the indigenous town of Roebourne, together with the mine at Pannawonica some 200km inland. Please pray that God will open the hearts of all these to receive his Word of salvation by faith.
Click here to read more about the Goscombes on the Bush Church Aid website.
Matt and Kiri Vander Heiden
Matt and Kiri Vander Heiden (with their children Mieka, Sofia and Joshua) are missionaries in Portugal through Pioneers Australia.
They are working at the Portuguese Bible Institute (PBI) in Lisbon, Portugal. Matt lectures in hermeneutics and preaching and heads up the Academic Department. In the 2009/2010 academic year a new curriculum has been introduced at the Bible Institute and three new mobile schools have been opened up, where a one year certificate course is offered. Matt and Kiri are very thankful to God that there are currently about 160 students studying the Bible in Portugal through the different courses offered by PBI.
Kiri keeps very busy looking after the three children (Mieka, Sofia and Joshua) and keeping the house running. She also teaches Sunday School at their local church twice a month (Matt preaches there once a month). Mieka (5) started kindergarten at the local Portuguese public school last September, Sofia (3) goes to a pre-school weekday mornings and Joshua (1) spends most of his time rearranging the house.
Click here to visit the Vander Heidens’ website and find out more about their work.
Mike and Katie Taylor
Mike and Katie Taylor (with their children Harry, Miriam and Samuel) are beginning their missionary work in Tanzania in 2010 in partnership with CMS. They plan to spend the first half of the year learning Swahili, then move to the city of Arusha, where Mike will join the team training pastors and evangelists at Munguishi Bible College, 12 kilometres outside the town. Katie will spend her time caring for their three young children and seeking missionary opportunities in the local church and community.
Visit the Taylors’ page on the CMS website, follow them on Facebook or read their latest newsletter.