Fourth-generation American missionary Susan* (not her real name) grew up hearing inspiring stories from her ancestors’ work in Africa.

The family’s legacy started when her great grandparents discerned a call to the continent after hearing a visiting missionary speak at Bible college. The couple left the US for France in 1923 to study the language. Then moved to Africa three years later. God provided their support in the midst of the Great Depression.

Combined, Susan’s great-grandparents, grandparents, uncle, aunt and cousins have served for nearly a hundred years in Africa.

Today, Susan, her husband Rob*, and their four children are continuing that missionary legacy – in Singapore. Susan and Rob are both 43.

Rob is a doctor while Susan is a physician’s assistant. Mirroring the roles of her grandfather – an Ivy League-trained doctor – and her grandmother, a nurse. 

Susan’s grandparents shaped her calling.

One of her favourite stories took place as her grandparents first arrived in north-central Africa.

The villagers heard that a doctor was coming.

“As my grandpa walked out for his first day of seeing patients, 943 people sat under the shade of the trees, waiting to be seen. He immediately realised he would have to begin training the Africans to help him. The need was far too great for him and his small team of nurses,” Susan told Salt&Light.

Thus began a concerted effort to teach the Africans simple first aid, how to use a stethoscope and perform simple diagnoses. This grew into a nursing school, dental care centre, eye care centre – all fully run by the local people.

After many years of faithful service, Susan’s grandfather was awarded the highest medal bestowed in that nation by its then-President.

Her grandpa passed away before Susan met Rob. But she felt such a strong connection to her grandparents.

“With such an awesome legacy, I just assumed I would become a missionary to Africa. Rob was happy to go see and work in the place that held so much history of my family,” Susan shared.

Little did they know that God would lead them to Asia instead.

Garden of Eden

In early 2003, the couple were invited to visit Rob’s colleague who was serving as a missionary in Cambodia.

On the way back to the States, they had a layover in Singapore, and jumped on a short tour offered by Changi Airport.

They found themselves sitting on the beach at Sentosa. They jokingly considered what it would be like to be sent to Singapore.

“It was like looking out at the Garden of Eden,” said Susan, who recalled telling Rob half in jest: “I bet there are lots of lost people in Singapore.”

The couple were based in Chicago at that time, and Rob was still in medical school.

That reorientation of their hearts towards Asia continued when they adopted two daughters from an Asian country.

Susan had been influenced by her time volunteering at a pro-life clinic in the American midwest. It was right across the parking lot from a late-term abortion clinic. The clinic offered 4D ultrasound scans, hoping to persuade pregnant women considering abortions to keep their child.

“That was when I realised so many kids needed loving Christian homes. We thought we would foster. But with two biological kids, it was quite hard to do that in the US. So, we looked at international adoption.”

More than 10 years ago, the couple adopted their first daughter who was 11 months old. Subsequently, they adopted their second daughter, who was then 15 months old. The girls are now 13 and 11. The couple also have two biological sons, now 17 and 15.

A few years later, Susan and Rob learnt about Hudson Taylor and his work through the Perspectives course. Rob then got involved as a volunteer home medical adviser, reviewing missionary files before members went back to the field.

After visiting Asia to explore ministry opportunities, they set their hearts on serving in this part of the world.

Fast forward to February 2017. After hearing about a need for an assistant medical adviser to serve in OMF in Singapore, the couple visited again.

While sitting at the OMF office at Cluny Road, it struck them that it was the very same week, 14 years earlier, when they had sat on the beach in Sentosa, joking about being sent to Singapore.

They realised God was indeed calling them to serve here.

Helping frontliners stay healthy

Susan and Rob are part of over 1,200 OMF International members worldwide.

Originally known as the China Inland Mission (CIM), it was founded by British missionary Hudson Taylor in 1865 to take the gospel into the interior of China. Taylor served as a frontier missionary there for 51 years.

OMF International aims to have groups of locals in East Asia planting churches to reach their own people.

It has two offices in Singapore. One is the International Centre that provides strategic direction and international support for its members worldwide. There are 25 to 30 Singaporeans and foreigners serving here. They are involved in theological education, providing international leadership and playing supporting roles to OMF members.

This is where Rob and Susan serve.

Rob is an international medical adviser. His work includes providing support and counsel for members worldwide regarding medical care. Such as making decisions on whether they can get the care they need where they are, or if they need medical evacuation.

Susan is the personnel manager for international OMF members. She keeps track of members’ movements from one location to another, facilitates their transfers and their trips back home to reconnect with family, friends and supporters.

OMF also has a Singapore national office that partners with churches, organisations and marketplace ministries to empower believers for overseas missionary work. It also provides training, mentoring and mobilises prayer for unreached or indigenous groups in Asia.

Different roles, same mission

Rob and Susan’s roles in Singapore break away from the stereotypical understanding that some may have about missionary work.

“Our roles are in member care, so it is hard for some people to understand. Because they think that all missionaries are church planters to tribes and villages that have never heard the Gospel. In fact, a few people chose not to support us because we were going to a place that is reached,” Susan said.

She thinks that such misunderstandings open up opportunities for important conversations about the diversity of roles within the missionary vocation.

“Missionaries can serve a whole host of roles – from church planting to running a coffee shop, to anywhere in between. We do have the opportunity to share our faith with people, but the majority of the time, our role is to help our members stay healthy so that they can be on the frontlines telling people about Jesus.”

Provision in transition

Coming to Singapore has not been without its setbacks. But the family has seen the amazing provision of God.

The couple were not able to get their employment passes in the first six months of arriving in Singapore. Without it, they could not rent an apartment. 

Then they met a Singaporean woman who felt led by God to donate her apartment to OMF for six months. “Would you like to live in it for free for six months?” she asked the couple.

“It’s right across the street from the office!” said Susan.

After six months in Singapore, the family were sent to Chiang Mai. It was a challenging season of going through change, again and again.

“Chiang Mai was a total shock in all ways. We never planned to serve or live in Thailand. The weather and language were a lot to get used to. The traffic was crazy and I dreaded driving. We took Thai lessons twice a week with a neighbour, and that helped to ease a bit of the culture shock,” Susan recalled.

While there, they supported their colleagues through the birth of a second baby and provided care for their older son. Rob volunteered at the hospital to help Thai medical students learn English and proofread their papers that were submitted in English.

Just when they were getting used to life in Chiang Mai, they were sent back to Singapore at the end of June 2019 – six months after arriving.

The transitions were a godsend. They provided much-needed experience to build their foundation for ministry.

“We had never been on the field before, and were providing member care for missionaries going through transition. Well, we needed to go through some transition too,” said Rob.

As a doctor who practiced in the States for 12 years, Rob has not been able to get his license to practice medicine in Singapore. Much as it has been emotionally difficult to accept, he sees that blow as a blessing in disguise. 

“God had to show me how much I valued myself as a doctor. He had to take that away from me and remove that so I can see that my identity comes from Him alone. That has been worth everything,” he shared. “The growth that God has put me through is immense. I could never have grown this much anywhere else.”

Parenting in the mission field

Raising a family in the field has also deepened the couple’s surrender.

Their sons are in high school. They have always been homeschooled – a decision Susan made when one son was diagnosed to have learning difficulties as a young boy.

“God gives you a husband and children to break you. If I can remember to let God be on the throne and not myself, it works a whole lot better,” said Susan, who confessed to being a Type A personality and often tempted towards micro-managing.

For Rob, the cross-cultural journey has also reinforced what it means to trust God with his children.

“It’s very hard when we watch the kids struggle. We like to fix everything for them, but we have to let God do that work. It is a moment to trust Him.”

Susan shared that while the children have expat friends, it has been harder forming friendships with Singaporean youth. The girls have also missed participating in gymnastics because of its cost in Singapore.

Despite the challenges, the couple believe that the cross-cultural experiences are a great gift to their children.

“Most people in our hometown have never heard of Singapore,” Susan said. 

For now, home is Singapore, but the couple hope to one day serve in other parts of Asia. Their two sons are likely to return to the US for college in the next few years.

“We may leave the boys in the States and go back to Asia. Constantly, we have to rely on Christ and keep entrusting our kids to Him. That’s been the journey for me, being here – how to let go and let God.”

God is walking with us

The family’s life verse is Deuteronomy 31:6:  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified … for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

“As we look back, we can see how God has been going before us and preparing places for us to be at,” Rob said.

“God is walking with us, every step of the way,” said Susan.

And so continues the faith journey that took them out of a small midwestern town to cosmopolitan Singapore, under the loving protection of the eternal God. 

*Names and details have been withheld for the protection of the interviewees.

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