Meet Cam and Emily McLean!
Both locals to the Durham area, Cam graduated from the training program in 2016 and Emily is currently in her second semester of training.
Why did you desire to serve in cross-cultural ministry?
I (Cam) have always been interested in meeting new people, seeing new places, and learning about different cultures. My church was very missions-minded, and as a kid I was exposed to the reality that there are many people in the world who have no opportunity to hear and believe the truth of the gospel because no one has taken the time to learn their language and present it in a way that they could understand! I decided that if I could be part of the solution, I would help the gospel go out to where it has not been shared before (Romans 15:20-21). So, I attended Word of Life Bible Institute both in Owen Sound, ON, and Pottersville, NY, and then entered the training in 2015. I then studied linguistics at Ethnos360 Missionary Training Center in Roach, MO, before moving to Colombia in early 2019 as a single missionary.
I (Emily) grew up as a pastor’s kid, and then as a missionary kid when my parents became the directors of a Christian camp near Durham, ON. I was involved in ministry from a young age and saw the difference that the gospel can make in our hearts and in our communities. I then went to New Brunswick Bible Institute for a year before getting my nursing degree at Western University. Throughout this time, God was working in my heart, giving me several opportunities to minister in cross-cultural contexts, and growing my desire to serve Him in Latin America. After spending a year serving in Chile, I understood God was calling me to full-time ministry and became a missionary with the Gospel Mission of South America.
God’s plans are not always our plans.
Both of us had come to the decision to serve God wherever and however He needed us to. However, it seems that God wanted us to decide to serve Him alone before He would bring us together! We started dating long distance while Emily was in Canada, preparing to return to Chile, and Cam was serving in Colombia. After Cam returned to Canada in December 2019, we were able to date normally for a couple of months before COVID seemed to turn the world upside down. In God’s perfect timing, we were married in the fall of 2020 and are making plans to serve God together when Emily graduates at the end of 2022. While Emily has been studying at Ethnos Training, Cam has been pursuing his MA in Linguistics and Translation. We hope to use our linguistics and nursing training in Latin America.
If you would like to get to know us more, feel free to contact us!