Alan Coburn
Board Member
I was born into a Christian home in New Jersey where my parents taught us the preeminence of Christ. At the age of 5 I asked Jesus Christ to be my personal Saviour. As a child our family often went to help missionaries in Arizona working with the Hopi and Navajo Indians. My parents also hosted many missionaries at our home and I enjoyed hearing their stories. It wasn’t till my teens that I became serious about my faith and began working summers at camp Iroquoina in Pennsylvania. It was there I met my wife Christine, and we married and raised three children, all of which are going on for the Lord.
I’ve worked as a Supervisor in Public Schools Facilities for over 30 years, and also served as a Facility Director at Camp Iroquoina and Camp Li Lo Li. In 2015 I felt led to leave secular employment and accept a position at Christian Missions In Many Lands Inc. (CMML) as their Facilities Manager.
Through my job with CMML I have greatly expanded my exposure to missions both here and abroad. I have also had the privilege to attend and serve on several mission trips. I currently attend South Branch Bible Fellowship in Hillsborough, New Jersey where I serve as an Elder.
It is my desire to use my gifts and all the Lord has taught me over the years to serve Him. I look forward to serving as a liaison between CMML and Teamworks Abroad in an effort to help expand this ministry and coordination of services.
Tim DeJong
Board Member
When I was 9 months old my family moved to South Africa as missionaries. Us boys heard the gospel morning and evenings in family devotions and at every meeting our church had because we were there. After one Sunday evening service I asked my dad to help me ask Jesus to come into my heart and change my life into one that pleased Him.
Over the years I’ve had a lot of conflict with my folks but unlike many others I never walked away from My Lord. Though I did many things that displeased Him He was always faithful to my commitment to Him and would not allow me to get into many bad situations like drugs and drinking. Over the years my wife and I have seen the direct guidance and provision of the Lord. Both as home missionaries and as foreign missionaries and in His leading us into the assemblies which answered a lot of questions I had though personal Bible study. We are commended missionaries from Believers Gospel Chapel in Augusta Ga. My background from childhood has been in construction. My dad was the mission builder for AEF for 17 years then started a mission organization providing practical helps (construction) for other missions. We worked with that organization for 11 years and were introduced to the assemblies through it. I then ran my own construction remodeling company for 12 years before the Lord called us back into full time service for Him in Tijuana Mexico where we have served for another 5 years and now we are looking forward to serving Him now through Teamworkers Abroad.
Justin Hill
Board Member
Born and raised in a Christian home, I am blessed to have been protected from many of the pitfalls of this world. Nevertheless, I believe whole heartedly in my need for a Saviour as much as anyone. We all have a sinful nature, and a deep need for God’s forgiveness. I trusted my Heavenly Father for this at a young age.
My earthly father was a good man, but he passed away when I was ten. However, the LORD is faithful, and planted plenty of solid role models in my life that I could look up to. I currently serve as an elder at Southeast Bible Chapel. I am also fortunate to have a beautiful wife and two sons, all serving the LORD today.
Although construction runs in my family, I never really caught on. My skills are all in other areas. I’m not very handy at all, that is, until I have a spread sheet open on my computer. So I pitch in by keeping the books and providing financial reports for Team Workers Abroad. I do the same for my church. I am also the elected Treasurer of Greene County, Missouri where I reside.
Matt Owensby
Board Member
I grew up in a Christian home and I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior at a young age. The following years I just went through the motions, not really seeking to grow in my relationship with Christ. It was the summer before my junior year of high school that the Holy Spirit began convicting me of my need to not be ashamed of my personal relationship with Christ in my public school and it was then that I chose to be a disciple of Christ. Over the years of walking with Him I am continually humbled by his faithfulness. There is nothing good in me apart from Christ and I desire to let Him use me for his glory.
My family and I fellowship at Lake Country Bible Chapel in Ankeny, Iowa. My wife Heather and I have five children and we are foster parents as well. I am co-owner of a construction business with my brother in the Des Moines area. We are primarily involved in residential construction and remodeling.
From the time I began in the construction business I have had a desire to use any abilities that God has given me to help the saints in need. Both my brother and I have been able to go on trips with Team Workers Abroad and I realized that this was a great opportunity to use those abilities that God has given me to serve Him. I look forward to helping in however God leads by serving on the board of Team Workers Abroad.
Fred Scott
Board Member
I grew up on a farm in central Iowa and was converted to a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ at age 18 through a Bible study on a college campus. Since 1975 my wife, Sue, and I have fellowshipped with the Christians in Davenport IA at what is now known as High Point Bible Chapel, where we have served in various capacities and I served as an elder there for about 25 years. I am now a commended worker with the purpose of traveling for TeamWorkers Abroad. Over the years I have trained 5 children to walk with the Lord who, with their spouses, are training 20 grandchildren and counting, directed Ozark Family Camp at Turkey Hill Ranch Bible Camp, helped with Christian camp projects and mission projects both in the states and foreign countries. Since retiring from a career in the beef cattle industry I have been able to put more effort into each of the areas.
During the work in the aftermath of Katrina I saw the value of getting the word out to people with various abilities that could come together to help those with the same Biblical beliefs. Many of the missionaries spend their time learning the culture and language of people groups do not need, or may not have the ability, to be distracted by the physical aspects of the work. I envision TeamWorkers Abroad developing a list of abilities and availabilities of people in the States who are able to provide coordinated help to Christian assemblies around the world, both in on-going growth and disasters that occur.