Rachel and I met in Vietnam at Christmas time in 2003. It was love at first sight for Rachel (understandably), however several moments later I felt the same!

Both Rachel’s and my parents live and work in Vietnam (and have done so for many years now) serving the local communities in varying ways. We both happened to be visiting them at the same time that year and the rest is history, so they say.

We were married 2 years later in 2005 and are now the proud parents of 3 amazing children; Ellia (9), Asher (7) and Macie (3).

In 2013 we took our family back to Vietnam for the first time since meeting there, and again spent time with family; but on this occasion my father Paul invited me to travel with him to a local village where their organization ‘AOG World Relief’ had been working on a project.

They had been informed about a young, mentally impaired woman who had been raped by a man in authority and had given birth to a son as a result of that rape. She was living in extreme poverty, in unlivable conditions, barely able to take care of herself let alone her young son.

My parents’ organisation through partnership with others’ were able to raise enough money to rebuild her house and provide her with much-needed support.

After meeting this young lady and processing the magnitude of what had taken place, I stood in tears on this construction site as I looked around at what was happening and suddenly felt a deep sense of compassion for this young woman and for the people of this great nation.

In this moment I felt God tell me that this is what we are called to do, that we have been created with the purpose of making a difference to the people of this nation, to bring HOPE to those who are broken and without HOPE.

Right then something shifted within me and I knew I’d never be the same again…

I have spent the past 7 years on staff at Hope Centre, Rachel is a qualified Counsellor.

+++

“Our greatest passion is helping others discover their purpose and become all they were created to be.”