The Wingers are honorary NCEM missionaries, now residing in Three Hills, Alberta. Here’s the story of how their service with us began:
Gary & Ardys and their children had already experienced northern living. There was more than that leading them into missionary work. Both were raised in rural southern Ontario, with the support of Christian parents and churches. There was Bible camp, too. In fact, that’s where they met, when Ardys was asked to play piano for Gary’s Christian high school quartet.
Ardys later enrolled and graduated from the same high school, then trained to be a teacher. They were married in 1968, with Ardys teaching school the next four years.
Touring with his quartet had exposed Gary to northern Ontario and its spiritual needs. When they later moved to Moosonee (on James Bay) for Gary’s job as a commercial pilot, they met a number of NCEM pilots and missionaries. They also got to know Native pastor James Moses from nearby Moose Factory.
In 1979 the Wingers moved to Three Hills (AB) where Gary worked on staff at Prairie as a plumber. Ardys remembers, “I was very happy to be settled in one place after moving around as a commercial pilot’s wife. I wasn’t too excited at a certain NCEM missionary’s suggestion that, because of our experience, we should consider northern missions!”
But through further exposure to missions at Prairie, Gary enrolled as a Bible college student. The Lord worked in both their hearts, motivating them to go back North, this time as missionaries. “Faith” missions was a new concept to them, but at Prairie they met many missionaries who were living on financial and prayer support they had raised.
They joined NCEM in 1983, moving to Buffalo Narrows (SK). Not long after, Gary lost his pilot’s license due to inner ear problems, and the Lord seemed to be redirecting their ministry.
In 1986 they accepted a challenge to move to Arctic Quebec. “Our children were 7, 12 & 14,” they recall, “but for the next 10 years we saw God not only work out details for their needs, but He also stretched our faith and taught us many things through our many Inuit friends there. Though it was difficult at times, God used those experiences to develop our character and prepare our children for their future lives, as well.”
Gary has served as director for two NCEM fields, then as Assistant General Director, then Acting General Director for a term. “These roles were beyond what I ever imagined when we joined NCEM,” he says.
Through their grown children’s present involvement in overseas missions, Gary and Ardys say they’re learning much about needs in the global community, and observe interesting comparisons to First Nations ministry. Visiting a daughter has taken them to Africa, and they’ve also been to Mexico. They’re seeing that Jesus truly is the Hope of the Nations!
