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"I still had no desire to leave my home and certainly had
not heard the calling," Jon recalls. "During her last
trip, I decided to visit her and the call became very loud and
clear. People now ask us why we would give up the comforts of
home to endure the hardships of a developing country like China.
Our answer is that the blessings are so great that we hardly notice
any hardships."
The city of Huzhou is located in a delta about 75 miles west
of Shanghai. The population is approximately 600,000 people in
the city and 2,000,000 in the county. A large natural lake, Tai
Hu, graces the northern edge of the city. The climate is mild,
with very hot and humid summers, and the primary industries in
this rural area are silk farming and agriculture. As in all of
urban China, Huzhou is rapidly undergoing modernization, with
older buildings being taken down and replaced with modern structures.
Jon says he and Lynne are the only foreigners living in Huzhou,
where the official language is Mandarin, which is the Beijing
dialect. "We have made an effort, although a weak one, to
learn the language but we still use body language to carry out
our day to day activities," Jon says.
When the People’s Republic of China was founded, freedom
of religion was guaranteed in the constitution. However, restrictions
abound, including censorship of outside influence. Missionaries
are barred from entering the country and law prohibits evangelism.
Jon says that he and Lynne obey these laws of the land, but as
Christian English teachers they have been able to show their love
and give hope to their students by practicing "lifestyle
evangelism."
"We are not free to initiate religious discussions,"
says Jon, "but we are free to respond to any questions. Our
relationship with the students has given us that opportunity many
times. Is our work effective? We believe only God knows for sure.
We do know that God has blessed us by calling us to this place
and allowing us to know and love the young people here."
Prior to their mission service, Lynne worked from 1989 to 1998
as a coordinator and consultant for Sedgwick County Educational
Services in Goddard, Kansas. From 1983 to 1989, she taught high
school students with learning disabilities and was chairperson
of the special education department for Wichita Public Schools
in Wichita, Kansas. From 1980 to 1983, she was an instructor in
special education methods and supervisor of student teachers at
Evangel College in Springfield, Missouri. Prior to that, she was
a resource teacher for the educable mentally handicapped and a
remedial reading teacher at Willard Junior High School in Willard,
Missouri, from 1974 to 1980.
Lynne has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from
Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri.
She also has a master’s degree in primary education and a
master’s in remedial reading/special education from Southwest
Missouri State University.
From 1996 to 1998, Jon was property and services manager for
Metropolitan Baptist Church in Wichita, Kansas. Before that, he
was a partner and realtor in a private housing development in
Wichita from 1991 to 1996. He was a consulting engineer for the
petroleum industry from 1988 to 1991, and 1966 to 1988, he worked
in various positions for Schlumberger Well Services.
Jon holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from
the University of Missouri at Rolla. He and Lynne are members
of Metropolitan Baptist Church in Wichita, Kansas.
Birthday:
Jon - December 24
Lynne - August 16
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