We had never thought about Guam until about 2015. Our intent was to go to the Philippines and work there until we reach the point at which we could no longer go. But, like other life things over the last couple of decades, it seems that God had another plan for us. At least for a little while.

Of course, we knew where Guam was and that it is a territory of the United States. I knew a little bit about the World War II history here from reading so much about it when I was young. That was about it.

One thing we did not know then is that the church here is small and evangelism has been carried on by only a very few over the years. The church has remained small, but mostly sound in doctrine.

When we began investigating the possibilities, we learned there were about one hundred sixty-five thousand people living here and only around thirty or so assembling together as the Lord’s church on Sundays. When we realized we could very well be vessels God might use to reach lost souls on the island, we began to think about coming here to do mission work.

I first visited Guam back in February of 2018. It did not take but a few days to know that I wanted, maybe even needed, to be here. A return trip was planned for that fall and I stayed for a little less than three weeks, but drove around the island several times trying to get a feel of the layout.

There was no doubt in my mind after that trip that we were going to come here to live and work. It was just a matter of getting Joanna to fly over with me and see how she felt about it. Needless to say, she fell in love with Guam, the people, and the culture, as I already had. So, I began in earnest raising the funds to be full-time missionaries on Guam. It is not cheap.

We moved here in February 2022 to begin trying to grow the church. We began by offering ourselves to be used by the then only existing congregation. After two years of trying to help grow that congregation (we were somewhat successful in that even with some resistance), we decided it was time to start another congregation on the opposite side of the island. This was our plan from the beginning, as we have always seen the need for at least 3-4 more on the island.

So, on March 17, 2024, the church of Christ Guam, meeting in Ipan, began worshipping in our home. We have had four baptisms since then and a few visitors. A true familial relationship with the congregation has developed quickly and we believe God intends for brethren to have that toward relationship with one another. It begins with love—something that should come naturally to us as Christians. Unfortunately, we have learned that is not always the case.

We are only about $3,000 underfunded for 2024. If we have to, we can survive that. If you or your congregation can help us continue this work, please contact me. We are looking at an $11,000 deficit for 2025. That will be a bit more difficult to overcome. 

The details on how to reach me are on the right side of this page if you are on a computer, or below on other devices.

To know what has been happening with us on Guam, look for our past newsletters here. For pics of some of the efforts we are making on the island, click here. For way too many pics of life here on Guam, click here.

Wade