John and Mihyon Humphrey
John grew up in Huntington, West Virginia where he attended a United Methodist Sunday School. There he learned many Bible stories including the one that Jesus, as the Son of God, died on the cross. He also learned that living a moral life before God is desirable. At the age of 20, John moved to Newport News, VA to begin an apprenticeship as a pipe fitter in the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company.
Not having been to church in a few years, John believed he was going to heaven based upon his morality. In February of 1980, an instructor at the Apprentice School shared with him that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for his sins and provide him with the opportunity to be reconciled to God. Having never heard that truth before, the next day the Holy Spirit convicted him of sin and his lost condition. At that moment, John repented of his sin and asked God to save his soul.
During a mission’s conference in 1990 at his home church, John was burdened to serve God as a vocational missionary. As he continued to seek the Lord’s direction in the matter, the desire to serve as a missionary grew ever stronger.
Mihyon was born in South Korea where she accompanied her mother, a Buddhist, to the temple. Mihyon moved to Huntington, West Virginia, at the age of 12 to live with her sister and attend school in America.
At age 20 while a junior in college, a friend, now her husband John, shared the Gospel with her. Mihyon realized that she was a sinner, lost and bound for an eternity without God. A few days later in late February 1980, Mihyon accepted Christ as her personal Savior. While attending the mission’s conference 10 years later with her husband, Mihyon too felt a burden for the lost but said nothing to John until the last day of the conference. They discovered that each had a desire to serve the Lord in missions and continued to pray for God’s will for their lives that He would prepare and send them where they would be the most effective for His service.
John quit his job and moved with his family to attend Bible College. While preparing to serve the Lord in Guam, he discovered that the Lord had a strong gospel witness already on the Island. After some research and prayer, New Zealand was identified as a country in need of another gospel witness and that God would be pleased if he served Him there. In January of 1999 God sent the Humphrey family to New Zealand.
John and Mihyon have two children, Jacob age 15 and Lauren who is 20. Jacob is attending Howick College and is in 5th form – year 11. Lauren is working as a counselor at a Christian camp in Maryland. She has seen a number of girls make a profession of faith in Christ while at camp and this has been a tremendous blessing to her.
John, Mihyon, and Jacob have just returned to Auckland, New Zealand after a time of furlough and report that God is opening doors at a very fast pace. The Lord has provided a primary school hall where they can meet on Sundays. They have named the church Grace Baptist Church. On August 3rd seventeen people were present for the first Worship Service! Pray for the Humphrey family as the Lord works through them to bring glory to His name.