Who We Are

Philip’s Story…

              My name is Philip Sawyer and this is my testimony in short:  I was born and raised in a Christian household, and gave my life to Jesus around the age of four or five after watching the "Jesus" film which, interestingly enough, is widely used in missions today.  Unfortunately, as I grew up and entered high school I rebelled and fell away from following the Lord.  During high school I got involved in partying and drugs, as well as studying various false religions and this continued into my college years.  At the age of 21, thanks to a convicting conversation with my father and the prayers of numerous family members and friends, I came back to the Lord.  This happened when I went on a solo camping trip in order to get away from friends and other influences to figure things out.  There I had an overwhelming experience of God calling me to stop kicking against His goads and re-embrace Jesus.  I didn't know what to do with myself after this experience but heard the Lord calling me to accept an invitation to a weeklong Christian retreat (C.B.I.W.) I had received, so in obedience I went.  At that retreat I made a strong commitment to be a sold-out disciple of Christ since it had been the luke-warmness of myself and some others around me that had led to my falling away in the first place.  After this I devoted myself to a small college & career group at my parent's church, first as volunteer/helper and then as its leader.  This lead to years of weekly sermons and prayer meeting and all the personal growth and relationship to God that such ministry can produce. 

               Then in the summer of 2009 my life was changed by a challenge from a close friend and Christian mentor to go on a mission's trip to Honduras in Central America.  Although I wasn't working and didn't have a dime, God opened the door bringing in over two thousand dollars in less than two months allowing me to go.  I was touched on that trip by the simplicity and poverty of the third world and the deep need the wonderful people there had for deep instruction on the gospel.  God challenged me on that trip by asking me in prayer, "Would you live in a country like this for me if I asked you to?"  I had learned not to answer such questions too quickly before, so I prayed and counted the cost and then answered, "Yes."  I immediately felt a confirmation that missions work was a big part of the work God had for me to do, so when I returned home I embraced it and sought out a way to get into mission's work as quickly as possible.  But every door seemed closed, and every avenue of inquiry led to a dead end, soon I had to admit only God would be able to lead me into mission's work.  This all occurred within a few months of my return from Honduras.  It was in December of 2009 that a young, beautiful missionary from Stockton that had spent the last five years in South Africa started attending the college group I was leading at the time, bringing (and being) a surprising and wonderful answer to several of my long time prayers.

Kelly’s Story…

       When I was a teenager I heard the gospel for the first time.  Jesus, His death and resurrection, was all new to me.  I had never heard before that we will, each one of us, stand before Him at the end of our lives to give an account of our days on earth and to hear the answer to the question, “Does Jesus know me?”  I wasn’t sure then what being a Christian meant, but I did know that I wanted to know Jesus like a friend.  So I started on my journey of growth and seeking to know Jesus better.

       A year after this, I found myself at a youth event where they presented the option of going on a summer mission trip.  I had never heard of missions trips or missionaries and never had a desire to travel the world but as a sat there, I clearly heard the voice of God inwardly saying "I want you to go to Kenya this summer".   Instantly, God gave me the faith to trust that it was Him calling me and to believe He would provide the needed funds in the very little time until the trip began.  God, teaching me of His faithfulness, provided everything needed and led me to Kenya during the summer months after my 15th birthday.  That trip was life changing – by the end of it I had experienced that God is alive and wants to play a very real and active part in our daily lives!  I also came home from that trip knowing that God wanted me to spend my life in Africa so that others there may know and worship Him.

       Throughout the remainder of my high school years I took several mission trips to Mexico and one to South Africa.  At the Lord's leading, I moved to South Africa after graduation from high school to participate in a one-year missions internship.  I stayed there for an additional 4 years as a staff member with a ministry called Thrive Africa.  In 2009 I felt the Lord saying it was time to move on to new things so I entered prayer and emerged with His call to go to Cameroon, Africa with World Team.

       So I moved home from South Africa to California and in the 1 & 1/2 years that followed I met and married my wonderful husband, Philip, in 2011.  In 2012 we joined World Team and began taking steps to join their team among the Baka in Cameroon, Africa.