I believe that anyone can be called into mission, whatever their age, whatever their situation, wherever they are. And to show the diversity of the people that God calls, I asked a few friends to tell me in brief points their stories.

Elaine

• Age 11: became a Christian and was baptized.
• Age 18 (during first year of university): called to mission involvement.
• Age 22 (after serving 3 years as a primary school teacher): entered WEC Missionary Training College, Tasmania.
• Age 24: entered WEC candidate orientation.
• Age 25: arrived in Japan.

Rita

• Age 19: Became a Christian while studying to become a teacher
• Age 22: Graduated, started work.
• Age 27: Came into contact with a WEC missionary and was “set on fire”, Bible school Correspondance course
• Age 30: leave of absence from school, WEC candidates course
• Age 32: Came to the field to teach German missionary children, stayed on after those families had gone home
• Age 45: going home to look after my ailing mother, part-time involvement with WEC regional centre
• Age 49: return to Japan after my mother had passed away
• Age 55: still here!

Martin

• Age 12: Became a Christian.
• Age 16: Big Christian experience at a house party ISCF/SU. My faith was everything to me
• Age 18: Started Work in a Bank
• Age 26: Stopped going to church - just fell away as I became disillusioned
• Age 39: Re-convicted out of the blue - came back to Christ and the Church
• Age 43: Girl Friend stated that I must be prepared to go to Argentina with her as a condition of continuing relationship
• Age 44: Entered Bible College. Applied to Latin Link and got turned down. Girlfriend upgraded to wife.
• Age 45: Re-applied to Latin Link and got accepted.
• Age 46: Arrived in Argentina.

Hazel

• Age 11: Started going to church because my parents said it wasn’t possible to know God and I wanted to prove them wrong.
• Age 18: Became a Christian.
• Age 22: Gap year project building walls and stuff, decided to go back to south america sometime to offer the skills that I do have rather than the ones I don’t.
• Age 23: Started work as a teacher of special ed.
• Age 26: Went to Argentina, decided to give two years and then get on with the rest of my life.
• Age 28: Realised this was related to the rest of my life. Threw a stop.
• Age 28: Went to Bible college.
• Age 30: Crisis of confidence, got another job in the UK and part-time MSc.
• Age 33: Got married. Reapplied to Latin Link.
• Age 34: Arrived on field in Argentina.

Edi

• Age 0: Born into a christian missionary family in Japan
• Age 6 :Became a Christian.
• Age 11: Vowed I would never become a missionary
• Age 16: Vowed I would not work in Japan with my parents
• Age 17:challenged to follow God anywhere, doing anything, anyhow He asked. Felt a call to mission and Japan!Recommitted my life to God.
• Age 18: Went to university, studied B Ed in Art and Design
• Age 22: Graduated
• Age 22:Applied to WEC. Joined Candidates Orientation.
• Age 23:Came to the field and entered Bible College.
• Age 25:Returned to work on the field.

Martin

• Age 14 Became a Christian
• Age 15,16,17&18 Summer camps and UK mission teams
• Age 19 Went to Pakistan and India with OM for two & half years
• Age 21 Back in the UK working
• Age 23 Went to Bible College
• Age 25 Married to Julie who shared sense of call to Japan
• Age 27 Joined WEC Japan

Jurgen

• Age 18 Became a Christian. Worked as toolmaker.
• Age 19 15　Month in the Army
• Age 20 Developement of strong interest into Worldmission
• Age 23 Went to Bible school
• Age 27 Applied to WEC. Joined Candidates Orientation.
• Age 28 Went to England to learn English
• Age 30 Came to the field.