The USS Steel Seafarer - How we got to Ethiopia
Raised as a preacher’s kid in Oregon, I went with my parents to Ethiopia in the 1960s. I lived in a remote part of the country during school vacations, while the rest of the year at a boarding student in the capital, Addis Ababa. Ethiopian food (well, most of it) remains my favorite.
After Bible college and university in Eugene, Oregon (Go Ducks!), I went to southern California to attend the School of World Mission at Fuller Theological Seminary, with additional work in African studies at UCLA. Despite this heady learning, which I loved and which continues to inform my life’s work, my favorite class was and still is studying Robyn, who became my wife in 1978.
We too made the trek to Africa, living in Kenya and Tanzania for a decade, involved in holistic ministry—church work, community development, and anthropological studies. All of this learning was drawn upon when I wrote my Ph.D. dissertation and graduated from Fuller in 1989. Of course, a book wasn’t all we produced – we also were blessed with two great kids, Nicole and Andrea.
The years 1990-1995 saw us living in Singapore with a regional role for CMF International, the organization which called me back to become the Executive Director, the position I continue to hold.
I have authored Doing Theology with the Maasai (1990) and edited three missions books – Unto the Uttermost (1984), The Gospel Unhindered (1994), and Get Your Hands Dirty (2008).
Indian food and Chinese food hold second and third place, with Mexican not far behind. A steak and potatoes kind of guy I am not; give me spicy grains, fish, and chicken, and don’t forget tofu.
I’m a stamp collector, avid reader, writer, birder and archivist, who also enjoys jigsaw puzzles. In other words, I’m an introvert who readily admits to loving people, usually in small doses.
My church is Outlook Christian Church, Indianapolis, IN.
