New Members

We are excited to welcome new members to our ranks! A number of them are continuing to study and/or raising a team of pray-ers and supporters before they leave for their assignments. All bring a variety of skills, and all are very passionate about taking the good news to the ends of the earth.

Darrell and Margaret Thatcher

Darrell & Margaret have had close contact with Wycliffe over many years in church ministry in Western Australia and while serving as missionaries in Vanuatu. Sharing the same values on the importance and relevance of the Scriptures for today makes it no surprise that Darrell & Margaret  decided to join in the Bible translation task.

Darrell & Margaret are currently in training to take on the role of Regional Representatives in Perth replacing Rob and Hazel Looney. They have four children Luke, Nicole, Joshua and Zoe.

Maureen Hillary

Maureen has now joined Raj as a member of Wycliffe Australia. She has a background in nursing and says, ‘God has led both Raj and I to Wycliffe. Raj’s calling has an administrative strength and requires pastoral flexibility. My gifts complement in mercy, hospitality, pastoral, counselling and flexibility.’ These gifts will be well used when they take up an assignment with Wycliffe International Lord willing, later this year.

Raj has served at the National Centre, Kangaroo Ground as Personnel Director for the past five years. He and Maureen have three children, Emma, Bryan and Katie, and are excited at this new opportunity to serve the wider world of Wycliffe

Ian and Beth Smith

From forest pathologist and receptionist respectively Ian and Beth have moved into a new ministry – as Assistant Managers at Tree Tops Lodge (TTL) Cairns.

Because of their daughter Missy’s involvement as a member of Wycliffe their eyes were opened to the work of Bible translation, and they felt the Spirit’s prompting to also become involved in this ministry.

Seeing the advertisement Assistant Managers at TTL after having stayed there for a short time helped Ian and Beth realise that this was God’s open door for them at this time. They began working at TTL in January this year and are enjoying the challenge and ministry.

Coralie Grant

Coralie has been interested in languages most of her life but it was only when she became a Christian that this passion was transferred to missions. Through a friend she heard of the work of Wycliffe and Bible translation and decided to investigate the possibility of joining.  Then came the need for a business manager at EQUIP Training so she applied. Coralie’s history of working in finance, and her interest in mission, fits her well for the role and she is excited about the part she will play in bringing God’s Word to those without it in their heart language. 

Ruth Oatridge

Ruth grew up as an MK (missionary kid) in Papua New Guinea where her parents, Des and Jenny Oatridge, were translators with SIL for many years. When the family returned to Australia, Ruth worked in administrative jobs in Queensland until the Lord called her to serve him in missions.

Being willing to serve him anywhere, she soon heard of a huge need for administrative staff in the Uganda Tanzania Branch, and decided this was for her. She spent two happy years there – enjoying her role of helping to further the Bible translation task so much that she decided to become a member of Wycliffe. Ruth will return to Tanzania as a full-time Administrative Assistant when she has a complete team of pray-ers and supporters.

Belinda Fox

Belinda has always been fascinated by languages and from primary school through university linguistics has been her passion. God has taken that passion and called her to serve him in a two-year GRIP (Graduate International Project) program in South East Asia where she will be working as a Project Coordinator Assistant. In her own words, ‘To serve such an amazingly faithful God and be a part of providing people with his Word in their own language is not only an incredible privilege but a great joy. I can’t help but be excited about all that he has planned.’