 |
| (Kathy Miller with one of her students) |
Briefly share your salvation experience and your call to ministry. I was born in a Christian family and at the age of 8 I accepted the Lord into my life. My mother led me to the Lord. As a second grade child I mentioned to my parents that I wanted to be a school teacher when I grew up. My parents planted the seed in me to become a missionary school teacher. I felt burden for the children who were sent to boarding schools at a young age, and the Lord lead me to teach the young children where they were living, so that they did not need to be sent to a boarding school.
What did you do before you were a missionary? I taught in the states for 10 while working on my Master’s in Reading. I taught 4th grade for 2 years, 2nd grade for one year and kindergarten for seven years, while in the states.years,
Tell us about your current ministry. I am still teaching school. Right now I am living in Niamey, Niger teaching at Sahel Academy. This is my third year at the school. My first year I taught 5th/6th grades, last year was 3rd/4th grades and this year it is only 3rd grade.
How long have you been serving as a missionary? I joined EBM in 1985 and taught the families of children in Northern Mail for about 20 years. I lived in a few different villages during those years of teaching.
What does a typical day look like for you while you are on the field?
- My alarm goes off at 5:15 and I start the day with breakfast and devotions.
- At 6:30 I leave my house and since I live on the school ground, I unlock the school buildings at that time for the national workers to get into the rooms to do their jobs.
- At 7:10 I am outside for playground duty as the students are arriving at school.
- 7:30 – 2:30 I am busy with teaching the students.
- 2:30 – 5:30 giving piano lessons, attending teacher’s meetings, working in my classroom to prepare for the following day or week, etc.
- 5:30 – 9:00 back home for supper, Bible study, preparing for company, taking my dog for a walk, etc.
- 9:00 getting ready for bed
As you reflect on the years you have spent as a missionary, please share with us some of the highlights of your ministry. While in Mali, working with the same family for 4 – 6 years. I got to know the students very well for teaching. Also being a part of the village church. While here in Niger, working with more than my mission group and leading little ones to the Lord. This school year I have been able to share with four of my students and lead them to the Lord. These students have been from Embassy homes.
What have been some of the biggest challenges that you have faced on the field? As a single lady, I had to deal with loneliness, living by myself while in Mali. The families were wonderful whom I worked with, but I still did not have my own family to fellowship with. Here in Niger, I am around people all of the time, and I am enjoying the times I am by myself in my house.
What person(s) has had the biggest influence on your life? My parents
What would you say to encourage others (young or old) to consider full-time missions as a profession? Be in the Lord’s Will not your will. The Lord does not call everyone to serve Him overseas, but He does call all of us to serve Him wherever we are living.
Please share some specific prayer requests with us. On a daily basis I want my students to see Christ shine through me. My desire is to be a servant of the Lord, through teaching, listening, serving meals, working on the school grounds. Pray that even when I am worn out I will still have the desire to serve the Lord, not myself.
What are some current needs that you have and what can we do to help meet those needs? Right now I do not know how to answer this question. I am planning on being in the states for six weeks this summer and I am working on putting a schedule together. I know with EBM closing this past year, I have a lot of reporting to do with my supporting churches and friends.
Meet Some of Our Other FBM Missionaries:
- Kathy Miller
- Tim & Janice Phillips (part 1)
- Tim & Janice Phillips (part 2)
- Ken & Sarah Beckley
- Cindy Faile
This Post Sponsored by:
No responses yet