Children often take over a family business their parents started. This isn’t uncommon.
For a son or daughter to relieve their parents in international ministry, though, can be a rare occurrence.
International Mission Board missionaries Bill and Phyllis were involved in rural ministry for 16 years but are now retiring. God made it possible for their son, Daniel, to take over the work, in 2023.
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Bill and Phyllis served Northern African and Middle Eastern people groups by providing access to water in areas where it is desperately needed. Bill was a successful businessman in the United States, but he left his company in 2009 to serve in this part of the world that features many unreached people groups.
His engineering background provided the skills and understanding to work on water pumps, setting up systems to get water more efficiently and be cost effective. Bill traveled to different villages with national partners, and as he worked on the water systems, his partners shared the gospel through telling Bible stories.
Bill’s large truck was a rare sight in the villages. “It’s a pretty big show,” Bill said about going to remote, rural areas. “We start digging and putting things together. They don’t see that kind of stuff every day.”
Bill and his team installed spigots at the village wells and replaced old, sometimes broken, hand pumps. Without this ministry, it’s an all-day process to draw water from inefficient wells.
This job of hauling large jerry cans of water normally falls to girls in a family. In the old system with hand pumps, this chore took hours every day with one person at a time drawing water. Often, this meant girls were unable to attend school.
“Four people at a time can get water now,” Phyllis said. “They set their jerry cans up on a table and turn the spigot. As soon as they let go, the water stops, so there’s no wasting of water.”
One mother personally thanked Bill for improving the well system because it allowed her daughters to attend school.
The results of sharing the gospel through this rural ministry are growing. Reports include nearly 100 people in one village making professions of faith in Christ.
God’s plan
These areas are influenced by Muslim and traditional Orthodox religions, which hinder people’s understanding of the gospel. Many have been persecuted for confessing Jesus as Lord, and some had to leave their villages after becoming Christian.
A few years ago, when Bill and Phyllis first considered retirement, no one was in place to take over this ministry. But the Lord had someone in mind.
Their son Daniel was living in Oklahoma and had a successful career at a tractor dealership. He and his wife, Jill, built a house with acreage and were “living the American dream.”
When his parents went to serve full-time on the mission field, Daniel was 21. He visited his parents a few times over the years and became familiar with their ministry. He even assisted his dad on a few projects and discovered he too had a passion for this work.
Early in 2021, Bill and Phyllis came to visit Daniel and Jill. They brought up thoughts of retirement. Daniel asked if someone was going to take over the work. Bill said no one had been identified.
Later that year, Daniel committed to the Lord that he would pursue working overseas and help continue this water ministry.
When he got home that night, he asked Jill how committed she was to their house. Jill wanted to know why he was asking, and Daniel told her what God put on his heart.
“I knew it!” she exclaimed, claiming to have known ever since his parents discussed retirement.
Things moved fast for Daniel and Jill. They started the IMB missionary application process and enrolled in seminary.
In 2023, Daniel and Jill went through missionary training and were on the field later that year with their four kids, serving with his parents. In 2024, Bill and Phyllis came to the U.S. to begin their final stateside assignment before retirement.
Daniel said God has given his family a love for the people where they serve. They live in the capital city and share the love of Christ with their neighbors.
Though this story may seem rare, as far as Daniel and Jill taking over his parents’ ministry, there are similar opportunities for people to be involved in the work the IMB offers, which leads to sharing the gospel to a lost world. For every couple like Bill and Phyllis who retire, the IMB hopes to send many more who will plant their lives among the lost for the sake of the gospel.
“God calls, and the IMB needs all kinds of people with different skills and education,” Phyllis said. “The IMB can use you no matter your background or who you are.”
Visit imb.org/go or contact info@imb.org for missionary service opportunities.
Names changed for security
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Chris Doyle and originally published by the International Mission Board.
