Steph's Story

I was born into a christian family, the middle child of 5, and lived in a small town in South Central PA called East Berlin. My dad pastored a small country church that was rather traditional, singing 3 hymns a service accompanied by piano and organ. At the age of 10, my childhood best friend invited me to their church summer kids' camp. It was there, amidst the worship time, that I encountered God in a way I knew He was real. I understood there was a relationship to be had with Him, and I wanted that. That marked the start of a very real and personal pursuit of Jesus. I hungered for the Lord, and with the support of my parents, made sure I was always surrounded by a community of believers that encouraged me in that hunger and pursuit. I was blessed to have found a group of friends to attend youth group with where I had leaders that poured into me in a very personal way who encouraged me in the reality that Jesus would always be my greatest reward in life. When it came time for making a decision about what I would do after graduation, I knew I wanted to be somewhere where I could run whole heartedly after the Lord. I knew I wanted to be a mom, and not just to my own kids, but also other kids. Looking at my own mom's strengths I decided the best thing I could do to prepare for motherhood was to grow in my understanding of the Word of God. It was all of that, that led me to go to, what was then called The Forerunner School of Ministry in Kansas City, MO. 

For the next 6 years I gave myself to completing the 4 year Bible School with a focus on worship and prayer, and then 2 more years on staff at the International House of Prayer (IHOP-KC). As a student and then staff member, I gave 24 hours of my week to prayer, worship, and meditation on the Word of God in the live 24/7 prayer room. In the place of prayer, I was made aware of many different kinds of social justice issues as well as nations across the world who were in dire need of the gospel and revelation of Jesus. I began to carry these as very real burdens in the place of prayer, especially as I grew in seeing the beauty of Jesus and just how worthy He is of our worship and adoration. I wanted the darkest places on earth to experience the light of the revelation of Christ. Amidst what was happening in my heart, I became friends with a girl who, since the age of 9, had a call on her life to serve in India among the poor. A few years after becoming friends she stepped into that calling in a full-time way and moved to Kolkata, India. She finally convinced me to come visit her. That 2 week visit to Kolkata, India wrecked me. My friend had a drop-in center for street kids that she opened up a few times a week where kids came in for food, a bath, and solid teaching on the Word of God. It didn't end there, she spent an hour walking back to her home, stopping to visit with the families of these street kids, praying with them, giving them food, loving them, etc. She took me to the Howrah Bridge where she served with another ministry, pouring into drug addict boys. My heart was broken by the darkness and the idol worship all through India, but also so energized by the cultural experience and different lifestyle. I returned to the US changed and so awakened to a new reality I felt I had to pursue more deeply. 

After being back in the US for a little bit, I decided I needed to open my heart more to the possibility of overseas missions, something I said I never wanted to do. I started making plans to go back with my best friend to Kolkata for 6 months. Questioning whether India was where I should be going, I shared with my friend that the only other place I'd want to go to for ministry is Thailand and would want to do it in the context of prayer and worship. After a time of prayer & fasting, I was approached by the director of the ministry I was serving with at the time within IHOP-KC. Knowing I was looking to go to India she asked if I would consider going to Thailand with a ministry called Ezekiel Rain where they would work with kids coming out of human trafficking, walking them through healing and restoration in the context of a family, prayer, and worship. They needed a someone to join their team who would help establish a prayer room within the ministry. I couldn't deny this was exactly what I said I wanted. After a 2 week visit to Thailand, I was convinced this was what I wanted to do. In 2010, I moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand with Ezekiel Rain. My heart was won over. The local church I started to attend was made up primarily of individuals from the Lawa Tribe, who had come down from the mountains to live in Chiang Mai City for school and/or work. The pastor was the same pastor who led Pope's brother to the Lord and was helping to disciple Pope and his family. Though, at that time neither of us knew what was to come, this was when our two worlds first came together. This was the beginning of my forever in Thailand. 

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9