Aaron and Kara Willems

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Ministry
Bible Translation

Location
Papua New Guinea

Partner
Wycliffe Bible Translators

What Need Is God Showing Us?
Many Papua New Guineans have a great desire for the Word of God, but they do not have the opportunity to hear God in their own language--the Bible is still unavailable in more than 300 of the country's languages.

What Is God Telling Us to Do?
Translators are needed to make GodÕs Word accessible in more of these languages. Some nationals are eager to translate the Bible into their own languages, but they need training and guidance.

How Are We Doing What God Is Asking?
RCA missionaries Aaron and Kara Willems will begin by working on a variety of translation projects to gain a deeper understanding of translation needs in the area. They will share their knowledge of the Bible and biblical interpretation by training translators and working with nationals to translate Scripture, and they will support the work of Bible translation through various activities.

Who Is Our Partner?
Wycliffe Bible Translators and SIL International, both started by Cameron Townsend, are committed to excellence in linguistics and Bible translation, which both serve the needs of getting people God's word. With their vision to see Bible translation in progress in every language group that needs it by 2025, Wycliffe and SIL are in great need of personnel and financial and spiritual resources. Wycliffe and its family of organizations make up one of the largest mission organizations in the world, with over 6,500 career and short-term members.

Up Close and Personal
Aaron and Kara Willems have a global outlook that has been shaped by various overseas mission experiences, and both say their home churches influenced them to follow God's call to the mission field. Aaron attended Polk City Evangelical Free Church in Polk City, Iowa, while Kara grew up in Westwood Community Church (RCA) in Omaha, Nebraska. "Westwood has a passion for reaching those in our local community for the kingdom," she says. "I want to radically follow the Lord the way I have seen this congregation doingÑno matter the cost." Her love for other cultures and Aaron's interest in biblical Greek led them to Bible translation work with Wycliffe. They enjoy relaxing with family, reading, and watching TV.

Richard and Maja Westra

Ministry

Pastoral

Location

Bahrain

Partner

National Evangelical Church in Bahrain

What Need Is God Showing Us?

The RCA has been working in partnership with the National Evangelical Church in Bahrain (NEC) since RCA missionary Samuel Zwemer helped establish the church in 1890. Today, the RCA is called to provide pastoral leadership for the National Evangelical Church's English-language congregation.

What Is God Telling Us to Do?

The NEC's English-language congregation is made up of Christians from many nationalities and denominational backgrounds who speak English as a first or other language. These Christians need pastoral care and leadership in order to minister effectively within their congregation, in cooperation with the other congregations of the NEC, and in the world around them.

How Are We Doing What God Is Asking?

Richard (Dick) Westra serves as senior pastor of the National Evangelical Church in Bahrain, and as pastor of the English-language congregation. His duties include preaching, teaching, guest speaking, administration, and visiting members of the congregation. He also provides leadership to the other language-group congregations of the NEC by preaching the Word, teaching Bible classes, and meeting with them regularly to discuss their needs. Maja teaches English to Bahrainis.

Who Is Our Partner?

The National Evangelical Church in Bahrain is comprised of seven language-group congregations whose members are mostly foreign workers. The English-language congregation includes about five hundred members from over thirty countries who work in a number of professions, including medicine, teaching, banking and finance, construction, sales, and computer technology. They worship together on Friday mornings and Sunday evenings. (In Bahrain, Friday is the day students and many workers have free.) Dick Westra considers its dedicated people to be one of the congregation's greatest assets: each week one hundred children attend church school; seventeen small groups meet to support each other's educational and spiritual development; several worship teams meet, some involving young adults; and members provide pastoral care by visiting those in need. Recently, members of the congregation have started a ministry for Chinese people who come to Bahrain to work.

Up Close and Personal

Dick and Maja Westra began their service as RCA missionaries in Oman. Dick began his service as pastor for the National Evangelical Church in Bahrain in 1997. He grew up on a farm near Calgary, in Alberta. Maja was born in the Netherlands and emigrated to Canada in 1954. They met at Central College in Pella, Iowa. Dick has a master of divinity degree from New Brunswick Theological Seminary in New Jersey, and Maja has a master of education degree from Rutgers University. They studied Islam together at Selley Oak College in Birmingham, England, before going to Oman. They have three grown daughters, Stephanie, Susan, and Andrea.