Tell us a bit about yourself 

I spent the first 18 years of my life in sunny Suffolk.  From age 7, I started to play the violin and from there, my aim in life was to become a professional musician.  As a teenager, I took up the piano, studied music at Birmingham University and was all set to make music my career.  However, God had other ideas…   

I had become a Christian early on in life, but through my teenage years, I struggled to put God above my musical ambition.  After University, I went to Cambodia for a year to teach music with a Christian organisation.  For the first time, I saw how God is the God of all nations and there’s a whole world out there that needs to hear about Him.  Through this time, my life focus changed! 

So what have you done since then? 

I have been back to Cambodia and Thailand leading short term trips.  One trip to Thailand was planned, the second was on being evacuated from Cambodia when I contracted Dengue fever.   (Not very nice, I don’t recommend it!  Still, if you want en-suite facilities in Bangkok and someone else to pay (i.e. your medical insurance!), then look out for a stripy mosquito!!)  Surviving Dengue, I worked for IFES with international students in London, studied at Cornhill Training College and taught English as a foreign language.   

What did you enjoy about teaching international students? 

The world has truly come to London!  Though I’m still open to overseas work, I’ve realised there are huge opportunities here on our doorsteps.   I got to teach students from all over the world: Korea, Japan, Kazakhstan, Italy, U.A.E…  I was involved in an international café run by local churches and it was great to get students along to the café to hear something of the gospel.  Students want to know about England and at the moment, this still includes wanting to know about Christianity. 

Why Crosslinks? 

I’ve known of Crosslinks for a number of years and even met a SMILE team in the Gambia.  The heart of Crosslinks is to tell people about Jesus and therefore I am excited to be a part of this organisation.  There will be much less direct people contact in this job than in my previous work, but I feel very peaceful that this is the next part of His plan for my life.  I will still be involved in world mission, but from the office – helping others to do their work effectively.  Once I’ve learnt the ropes, I hope that I will look after our missionaries well