Beth grew up in a Christian home where the gospel was always taught and talked about. She accepted Christ as her personal Saviour when she was 12 years of age. Mike was not raised in a Christian home but through his older sister, who witnessed to him, came to the knowledge of the gospel and accepted Christ as his Saviour at the age of 23.
Mike and Beth met at their home church in Sarnia, Temple Baptist, got married and went on to have four children. At the time, Mike was working at one of the refineries in Sarnia. Though always interested in missions, they felt that their role in missions was to pray and support financially. They never thought that the Lord would place it on their hearts to be missionaries themselves. But after returning from a short 2-week missions trip to Venezuela in 1994, the Lord began to grow a desire in their hearts to be personally involved in missions.
Between the years of 1995 and 1998, Mike and Beth attended Bible school and missions training with Ethnos. In 1999, they set off for their first field of service to Venezuela and would serve there at the mission school at Tamatama for six years. While serving there, Mike and Beth were involved in many areas as support staff. They both taught school, and Mike also did various maintenance jobs. God then directed them to serve for 21/2 years at Ethnos360 Bible Institute.
It was during their time there that the Lord placed it on their hearts again to serve overseas. In 2008 they again packed up and joined the team serving on the island of West New Britain in Papua New Guinea. During these years Mike and Beth both taught school and worked in the Finance Office. Mike also was the Regional Administrator for many years, as well as overseeing maintenance for the mission centre.
Mike and Beth served in Papua New Guinea for eight years until they needed to come back to Canada due to Mike’s health. They have been serving at the Ethnos Canada home office and missionary training centre since 2015. Mike and Beth are currently part of the team training missionary candidates. Beth is a secretary and Mike oversees the afternoon work program and teaches a couple of practical classes. They are both involved with running the Off The Grid program that takes place on the weekends during August and September. Learn more at: Off the Grid – Ethnos