They are the International Directors for Personnel, based at OMF's International HQ in Singapore. Their main responsibility is to oversee the selection and care of the missionaries (1343) and their children (831). Most members work in the countries of E & SE Asia, but some work in the many sending countries on the home-side and an increasing number work in Diaspora ministry with E & SE Asians, who live or study in the western world. .

Family

Anna had surgery for a spinal tumour last year.

Thank the Lord that her MRI scans in July & January were completely clear.

Pray for continuing healing for Anna; & wisdom for them both as they continue with their busy schedule; & pray for them & the children that the God of all grace, who called them to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore them, make them strong, & give them his comfort & peace.

Their two children, Josh (16) & Aimee (14) go to the Anglo-Chinese school in Singapore.

Give thanks that Aimee did very well in her exams after her first year at a Singapore school, picking up the prizes for English & Science, & Joshua had excellent results in his IGSCE exams, & received a Gold Medal award. He also got the top mark for geography in the whole world!!!

Pray for Joshua as he is head boy of his school.

Ministry

Steve & Anna are involved in oversight of four main areas:

Candidate selection and training: Along with IT specialists they have developed a new International Personnel System (IPS) for handling all the details of members of OMF electronically. Most members have logged in & entered all their data. New people from around the world wanting to join OMF can now apply on-line & update their personal details securely whenever they want. They are now managing 263 candidates with the IPS e-recruiting system.

Grace (in the foreground) ispart of the recruitment team.

When candidates are accepted they attend one of the four Orientation Courses held in Singapore for a month's training. Their colleagues, Philip & Elizabeth, are on Home Assignment, so James & Lisa joined them in May to run the 2 courses for new workers in July & September.

Praise God that in the last 3 years 450 new workers have joined OMF International.

Give thanks for the July OC & pray for Steve & Anna, James & Lisa, to cope with the different dynamics as they orientate the 8 new workers on the much smaller OC Sept 2nd-24th.

Pray for them too preparing for the International Executive Council following the OC at the end of Sept.

Personnel Policy: As IDPs they are responsible for setting guidelines, parameters and standards for those serving with OMF.

Member care, including medical care: In each country OMF has medical advisers, some fulltime, some volunteers, and in Singapore there is the International Medical Adviser, who is part of their personnel department.

Praise God that the new IPS is helping the International Medical Adviser's department to process the paperwork of new members in less than a sixth of the time it used to take!

Care and Education of members' children: There are over 800 children of OMF missionaries below the age of 24, who are in full-time education. The new International Coordinators, David & Ros Dykema, have moved to Singapore & taken over responsibility for these Third Culture Kids' care & education, which relieves Anna of much responsibility.

Pray they will work well together & thank God that the data on the new IPS means they can assess & plan for the future educational needs of the children more effectively.

Steve & Anna often speak at OMF conferences in Asia or in countries which send members to Asia.

Give thanks for the Lord's help as they spoke at conferences in Australia at the end of August.

Pray with Steve & Anna for their support in 2010 as they work in the 10^th most expensive city in the world. Give thanks with them for some large gifts received in June.