“We met & became engaged in Death Valley, CA.  Our first home together was in Denali, AK.  We also served multiple seasons in Yellowstone WY, Isle Royale, MI & the Everglades, FL.  We received a call to apostolic work (Eph 4:11-13) during our three years at the Grand Canyon, AZ.

We moved to North Africa in 1998 to begin work with a Christian NGO: Non-Governmental Organization.  After 12 years of fruitful ministry, an Indian Christian friend in the States invited us to consider working in India. We served there for 8 years in a BAM: Business As Mission context, before being invited to join our agency’s teaching team in Spain.  After 5 years in Spain, we are planning to return to a Muslim country this winter.  We are eager to re-engage in grass roots outreach!       

->  What are 1-2 things you learned thru ACMNP that have helped you in your international outreach.? 

1) Christian diversity on a TEAM can be a positive reflection of God’s glory. We came to faith in the Parks & were exposed to seminary students from a variety of theological traditions.  Interacting with these different perspectives caused us to search Scriptures ourselves (Acts 17:11).  We appreciated being able to explore ideas as they were exchanged & debated.  Our first cross cultural outreach team was composed of four couples, from 7 nations total.  Nancy & I were the only couple from the same country; the only couple that spoke the same mother tongue.  We represented more than four sending agencies, as some of these couples had met & married on the field.  By God’s grace, our team experienced early fruit during our 7 years together.  Since then, Matt & Nancy have had many other encouraging fruitful “God’s team” partnerships experiences     

2)  Keep the MAIN THING, the main thing.  Our park campground services were very simple.  Very simple.  Yet, we had come to faith in the Parks!  (Eph 2:8,9) We also saw folks grow in their faith in the Park context.  Because we were not seminary students, we had begun as helpers.  When a need arose, in the middle of a season, we were “appointed for service” (Acts 13:2,3) by Rev. Warren Ost (ACMNP founder) by satellite phone in the mid 1980’s.   Our messages & methods were simple.  Yet, in was in the Park context that we received our calling to international outreach.  Some of this has been groundswell work.  Some has been like riding the crest of a wave (benefiting from other’s foundational labors). The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love. (Gal 5:6)     Today, we are increasingly involved in new partnerships & technologies.  Yet, we’re still convicted by the adage, No one cares how much you know – until they know how much you care.” 

–Matt & Nancy worked year-round in six national parks, for 10 years, between the mid 1980’s & 1990’s