The Davises have served with NCEM since 1995. Read here how it all began for them:
Marian grew up on a southwestern Saskatchewan farm near Beechy. She remembers, at age seven, attending a Vacation Bible School, and kneeling on the dirt floor of a quonset one hot August afternoon to give her heart to Christ.
A sudden death in the family of a high school classmate spurred her on to Bible college at Bethany (Hepburn, SK) and three years of spiritual growth. While at BBI she heard about NCEM’s “NMTC” program and spent one summer at Ma-Me-O Beach (AB). “My eyes were opened to the stark needs of the people in that community, both physically and spiritually,” recalls Marian.
University followed, then an internship at a Toronto hospital, then work as a Registered Dietitian in Yorkton (SK). “Missions never left my mind, though, and I kept in touch with NCEM missionaries,” says Marian. “Then, when things became too mundane, I prayed for a change.”
God did stir up her life with an eventful bicycle ride in the Rockies in 1985, where she met Jim!
Jim had grown up in Eugene, Oregon. At 13, after being invited to Bible camp by friends, he received Christ as Lord and Saviour. “My life changed, and fellowship with other believers became very important to me,” says Jim. “The church I attended as a teen was very missions-focused. While I didn’t feel that my vocation was to become a missionary, I was very keen about missions.”
Jim and Marian were married a year after meeting, and settled in Reedsport, on the Oregon coast, where their three daughters were born. After the birth of their second, in 1990, Marian was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. “We were stopped in our tracks,” she says, “but as we sought the Lord, He gave us His peace and drew us close to Himself.”
“Early in our marriage we discussed serving in missions,” says Jim. “I was working as a computer programmer and I hoped that, after our girls were raised, Marian and I could use our talents to serve the Lord full-time. When NCEM published the need for a computer programmer, we decided to investigate.
“After many hours praying, studying the Word, and seeking godly wisdom, we decided that God wanted us here right away. It was very difficult to leave our church and my work.”
Serving as “support” missionaries has its challenges, say the Davises. They’re still amazed at the amount of behind-the-scenes work it takes to keep a ministry like NCEM going.
Jim does IT work for the Mission, primarily working with computer systems at headquarters, Tribal Trails, and the printshop. Marian works as the Personnel Assistant and also helps in the finance department. Their family has served at Pine Ridge Bible Camp many summers.
