Our Personal Testimonies
Rejoice with us in all that the Lord has done in our lives.
Roy
I was born in November, 1949, in Merced, California, the fourth of 7 children. When I was 8 years old, my mom started taking all of us to church after being invited many times by a friend. Shortly thereafter I heard the gospel and accepted Christ as my Savior. After graduating from high school and community college, I went on to Corban University (then called Western Baptist Bible College) in Salem, Oregon and graduated in 1971. That same summer I went on a missions trip to Spain and recognized that God was leading me to be a missionary there. I decided to join the Air Force. The Lord worked out the details so I could spend my whole tour of duty near Madrid, Spain, from 1972 – 1975. During my tour I spent time with ABWE missionaries.
Nancy
I was born in November, 1947, to Christian parents, on the opposite coast of the United States in New York City. We lived on Long Island until my family was transferred to Pataskala, OH, near Columbus, where I started high school. I trusted Christ as my Savior as a child and dedicated my life to serve Him at camp when I was 10. I graduated from Cedarville University where I studied to be an elementary teacher. God continued to guide me and in 1970, I was accepted by ABWE to teach missionary children in Spain. I arrived in Madrid in June, 1972. In Spain, I studied Spanish, worked in children’s Bible clubs, and met Roy, who was doing his military service.
We were married in September, 1973, and returned to Spain where Nancy helped start the Evangelical Christian Academy, a school for missionary children in Madrid; and Roy finished up his duties with the Air Force. We studied Spanish and helped the missionaries by holding Bible clubs for children and attending Bible studies for adults as we practiced our Spanish. Our first son, Kevin, was born in May, 1975, just before we returned to Pennsylvania where Roy attended Baptist Bible Seminary in Clarks Summit, PA. Brian was born in July, 1976, and that same summer Roy was accepted by ABWE. We began our pre-field ministry in January, 1977, and the Lord provided support for our return to Madrid, Spain, in September, 1978. Keith was born in April, 1979, shortly after we moved to Coslada, the first town outside Madrid’s city limits. God began to work in hearts as we held Bible clubs in the public parks and Bible studies. In January, l983, the Coslada Baptist Church began meeting in our living room and later moved into rented facilities. The Lord added to the small group of believers and in July, 1987, the church rented and later bought their present meeting place on the bottom floor of a five-story apartment building. In 2000, the church made the final payment on the building and the next year was able to call a pastor, a young man saved in a Bible club when he was 10. We are thankful to be a part of His plan for His church in Spain.
Our three sons are a great encouragement to us and we are thankful to God that they and their wives are following the Lord. Kevin and Mari live in San Fernando near Madrid and are a part of the Coslada church. They have two sons, Javier and Alvaro. Brian and Melody live in NJ and Brian goes to work every day to New York City. They have 6 children: Owen, Elise, Jay, Silas, Neil and Ezra. Keith and Debby are missionaries in a church near Milan, Italy. They have three children, Luca, Chiara and Sofia.
In March, 2001, we moved to Campo Real, a town about 25 minutes southeast of Madrid with plans to begin a new work. We have many friends there and have had Bible studies. Unfortunately, in 2005, the Spanish pastor left the Coslada church so we again took up the leadership of that work until 2009. At that time another missionary, Glenn Clodgo, became the missionary-pastor. Now we are in another work in the town of Torres de la Alameda working with Keith & Jody Hudak and Caleb & Krystie Hague who live in another town nearby. We were able to purchase the building where the church meets. We look forward to seeing what will happen in this venture in the "Strong Tower" Center.
Roy
I was born in November, 1949, in Merced, California, the fourth of 7 children. When I was 8 years old, my mom started taking all of us to church after being invited many times by a friend. Shortly thereafter I heard the gospel and accepted Christ as my Savior. After graduating from high school and community college, I went on to Corban University (then called Western Baptist Bible College) in Salem, Oregon and graduated in 1971. That same summer I went on a missions trip to Spain and recognized that God was leading me to be a missionary there. I decided to join the Air Force. The Lord worked out the details so I could spend my whole tour of duty near Madrid, Spain, from 1972 – 1975. During my tour I spent time with ABWE missionaries.
Nancy
I was born in November, 1947, to Christian parents, on the opposite coast of the United States in New York City. We lived on Long Island until my family was transferred to Pataskala, OH, near Columbus, where I started high school. I trusted Christ as my Savior as a child and dedicated my life to serve Him at camp when I was 10. I graduated from Cedarville University where I studied to be an elementary teacher. God continued to guide me and in 1970, I was accepted by ABWE to teach missionary children in Spain. I arrived in Madrid in June, 1972. In Spain, I studied Spanish, worked in children’s Bible clubs, and met Roy, who was doing his military service.
We were married in September, 1973, and returned to Spain where Nancy helped start the Evangelical Christian Academy, a school for missionary children in Madrid; and Roy finished up his duties with the Air Force. We studied Spanish and helped the missionaries by holding Bible clubs for children and attending Bible studies for adults as we practiced our Spanish. Our first son, Kevin, was born in May, 1975, just before we returned to Pennsylvania where Roy attended Baptist Bible Seminary in Clarks Summit, PA. Brian was born in July, 1976, and that same summer Roy was accepted by ABWE. We began our pre-field ministry in January, 1977, and the Lord provided support for our return to Madrid, Spain, in September, 1978. Keith was born in April, 1979, shortly after we moved to Coslada, the first town outside Madrid’s city limits. God began to work in hearts as we held Bible clubs in the public parks and Bible studies. In January, l983, the Coslada Baptist Church began meeting in our living room and later moved into rented facilities. The Lord added to the small group of believers and in July, 1987, the church rented and later bought their present meeting place on the bottom floor of a five-story apartment building. In 2000, the church made the final payment on the building and the next year was able to call a pastor, a young man saved in a Bible club when he was 10. We are thankful to be a part of His plan for His church in Spain.
Our three sons are a great encouragement to us and we are thankful to God that they and their wives are following the Lord. Kevin and Mari live in San Fernando near Madrid and are a part of the Coslada church. They have two sons, Javier and Alvaro. Brian and Melody live in NJ and Brian goes to work every day to New York City. They have 6 children: Owen, Elise, Jay, Silas, Neil and Ezra. Keith and Debby are missionaries in a church near Milan, Italy. They have three children, Luca, Chiara and Sofia.
In March, 2001, we moved to Campo Real, a town about 25 minutes southeast of Madrid with plans to begin a new work. We have many friends there and have had Bible studies. Unfortunately, in 2005, the Spanish pastor left the Coslada church so we again took up the leadership of that work until 2009. At that time another missionary, Glenn Clodgo, became the missionary-pastor. Now we are in another work in the town of Torres de la Alameda working with Keith & Jody Hudak and Caleb & Krystie Hague who live in another town nearby. We were able to purchase the building where the church meets. We look forward to seeing what will happen in this venture in the "Strong Tower" Center.