David joined NCEM in 1992, and Joanna before that in 1987. They have served in Arctic Quebec in the communities of Salluit and Kuujjuarapik, and now serve in Prince Albert. Dave is part of the Tribal Trails TV ministry with video production and building/yard maintenance, and Joanna stays busy with bookkeeping work in our Headquarters Office. They assist a nearby rural Native fellowship.
David experienced life as a youngster in rural New York State, “…with cows on one side and an apple grove on the other.” Along with his sister, every Sunday morning and evening his family was in church. Wednesday night found them at prayer meeting. “I never knew church without missions,” David says. His family hosted missionaries during their annual missions conference.
In addition to those church activities, David was part of Boy Scouts and Christian Service Brigade. By the age of nine he had personally accepted Christ. Elementary years were in a public school before attending a Christian high school. Each summer included a week at Bible camp and family vacation in Quebec.
Who was to know then that learning about the Inuit at an Ottawa museum during family vacation would set the stage for David’s life work? He trained at Bible college, preparing to become a missionary pilot. However, his initial ministry plans to Quebec’s Inuit people did not work out.
“I felt that God would not take me this far, and then not take me all the way.” David heard about NCEM through a colleague and joined in 1992.
“Life is a process,” Joanna says, as she reflects on God’s leading her into missions. Just as in David’s life, her preparation for missionary service was a progression. Joanna Stobbe was the ninth of ten children, raised in a godly home by parents very supportive of NCEM. She did not expect to get to go to Bible college, as her older siblings had, believing that the Lord’s return was near!
She did, however, get to Bible college for four years with each summer’s activities bringing her closer to full-time work with NCEM.
“The first summer I worked at Stony Lake Bible Camp, staying on for a week of NCEM Native camp. The second summer I took NCEM’s summer program (NMTC). The third summer my father suggested that, since I was interested in accounting, I help at the NCEM office.” After that, joining NCEM was a natural choice.
David and Joanna met at NCEM’s missionary candidate training program. Joanna had been serving as an administrative assistant for seven years, based in Prince Albert, and was preparing to minister in Winnipeg.
“I was looking for someone who would be a missionary partner, not just a missionary’s wife,” David says. “When I realized Joanna had plans for ministry of her own, I knew here was my missionary partner!” Joanna served in Winnipeg for one year before they were married in 1995, joining David in Salluit, Quebec.
