A New Beginning
My husband and I gazed out the airplane window, catching one last look at the beautiful tropical island we called home for nine years. As the lush, forested mountains passed below us, we reminisced on how God brought us to this place...
We first joined Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1981—we had only been married six months. Mike had just turned 20, and I was still 19. Though young, both of us had been working since our early teen years; each was in a management position when we felt called to look seriously at missions.
We first served at Wycliffe’s United States offices, then located in Huntington Beach, Calif. Mike worked in the computer department; I served in communications.
Yet we longed to go overseas and prayed for God’s timing. Then, in 1987, one of the directors from Southeast Asia “just happened” to be passing through the office—needing help in computers and publications.
We had lunch together, signed on the dotted line that same afternoon, and soon found ourselves heading for the tropics.
We loved the two years we spent there, yet our visas expired in 1989, shortly after the birth of our first son. Mike’s parents had been asking us to come work in the family business for some time, and we felt called to help them expand.
And so, we left Wycliffe and settled in the mountains of California. Our second son was born in 1991, and we settled down to a normal American life.
We stayed closely connected with Wycliffe friends over the years; in 1997, Wycliffe asked us to consider returning to Southeast Asia to help fill administrative roles. Mike had been running part of the family business for several years, and they needed people with experience to help in management.
We had always said that if the Lord wanted us to go back, we were willing. We talked with our families and friends, and all were supportive of us re-joining Wycliffe and returning overseas.
The following year, we were accepted again as Wycliffe missionaries; in less than 12 months we completed management training, raised our financial and prayer support, left for Southeast Asia and completed language school. We arrived at our final destination just in time for our boys to begin third and fifth grades at the international school.
Mike became an assistant, then regional director; I worked in personnel and other administrative roles. Over the years, we saw how God used our experience from the business world; we were able to see things from different points of view and find solutions that others might not have. Our supportive teammates trusted our leadership and often said we knew how to “get things done.”
During our time in the tropics, we had often thought how local Christian business partners could benefit the Bible translation effort. We felt if strong, profitable businesses supported local churches and their own missionaries, they could create sustainability in an area of the world that is often unstable.
But at the time, we had no way to pursue or encourage this kind of partnership.
Now here we were, heading back to the United States after losing our visas, wondering what new beginning God had for us. We looked into a number of ministry roles, but none seemed the right fit.
Then we heard about the new Business as Mission initiative at JAARS, and both felt, this is it. We were excited to see that the Lord had once again created a way to use our gifts and experience, both in business and missions, to serve Him and others.
Mike is now the Asia area coordinator for Business as Mission, and I am working as public relations coordinator. We both look forward to continuing our ministry of supporting Bible translation in a new and different way.
How privileged we are to use our strengths in business and passion for God’s Word to make an eternal difference! We know our story may sound unique—but perhaps God has a new beginning planned for you, too.
—Heather Eastwood, with Mike Eastwood. Heather and Mike have served with the JAARS Business as Mission program since November 2008. The two currently reside in Mariposa, Calif.
