Doug is from Stoney Creek, Ontario, and Carol is from Oakville, Ontario. They met at Heritage Park Alliance Church in Windsor, Ontario, where Doug was serving as assistant pastor. After getting married, they studied for a year in Wheaton, Illinois. They served at Stoney Creek Alliance Church shortly before leaving for Tokyo, Japan. Together, they have three daughters: Heather, Laura, and Megan.

Doug was raised in a Christian home. He was challenged in his faith by participating in an evangelism training program at the age of 15. Serving in his home church and a recommendation by a youth pastor caused him to consider ministry at the end of high school.

Carol was raised in a Christian home but didn’t meet Christ in a personal way until she was working in the emergency department of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Being exposed to illness and death in children caused her to question the meaning of life, leading her to ask God, “If you do indeed exist, please reveal yourself to me.”

God’s answer came shortly afterwards as she was a camp nurse at a Christian Athlete Hockey Camp, where she heard the testimonies of Christian hockey players and watched their relationships with their families. They obviously had the love, joy, and peace that she felt was missing from her life and asked for God’s forgiveness.

Hearing the statistic that 90% of the world’s Christian workers work with 10% of the world’s population caused Doug to be open to overseas service. During Bible college and in home service, Doug had the opportunity to minister to Asians and to observe ministry to Asians. This work, among other ministry opportunities, put a burden on his heart for Asia, with 60% of the world’s population.

Doug and Carol arrived in Japan in 1987, and after two years of full-time language study, they moved to Hiroshima and worked with an already existing Alliance Church for two years. After their first home assignment, they were involved in traditional church planting in small Alliance churches in the outskirts of Tokyo.

Six years of ministry in the field office as leaders followed, and then in 2007 they moved to the Tokyo Bay area to be involved in fostering a growing network of congregations. They now serve as team leaders for the Canadian team and team developers for Japan and Taiwan.

In their area of Tokyo called Shiohama, Doug and Carol are involved in teaching English and the Bible to children, moms, and to singles to create, contribute, and to reach out to their community. They also meet with believers and seekers to study the Bible and spur them toward faith and maturity, and ultimately toward joining in the ministry of reaching others.

What Doug loves most about being an IW is studying the Bible with people who are being exposed to its truths for the first time, and to have his understanding of it deepened by questions he’d never be able to think of, having been raised in the church. What Doug finds most discouraging is to see how long it takes for a person to come to a commitment, so in a sense, the discipling process starts long before the person comes to faith.

What Carol loves most about being an IW is working with young moms and children in her neighbourhood. They are so open and interested in many aspects of her language and culture, including her faith. What she finds most challenging is helping these moms to realize that Christ’s love, forgiveness, peace, and joy are also available to them. The Japanese language continues to be a challenge.