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"A desire to work for the Lord and an interest and background
in agriculture drew me to mission service at BESS," writes
David, "which is one of the best secondary schools in Ethiopia.
BESS offers agriculture as part of its comprehensive curriculum,
and the school has some farm enterprises for student experience
that also generate income for the school’s operation."
About her previous work in Ethiopia, Mary Lou says, " My
previous experience opened my eyes to how mutual the serving is,
as I received so much from the gracious Ethiopians we served."
Steeped in the 80-year historical tradition of Presbyterian mission
in Ethiopia, BESS is located in the highlands of western Ethiopia
and is under the auspices of the Western Wollega Bethel Synod,
which is a part of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus
(EECMY).
Except for his two terms of service in Ethiopia and a year as
a volunteer for the Heifer Project International in Perryville,
Arkansas (1987-1988), David has since 1968 been a teacher of agriculture
for the Grove City School District in Grove City, Pennsylvania.
Prior to that, from 1963 to 1967, David taught agriculture and
general science in the Gettysburg area school district, in Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania.
From 1986 to 1992 Mary Lou volunteered with Heifer Project International,
for which she received training in appropriate technology and
educational experience in global hunger issues. She worked as
a licensed practical nurse in Grove City, Pennsylvania, from 1990
to 1992. Prior to that, she was a class teacher for Head Start
from 1982 to 1986 in the Farrell Area School District in Pennsylvania.
She worked as a substitute and resource-room teacher in the Mercer
County Vo-Tech School and the Grove City area school district
in Pennsylvania (1979–1982) and as a speech therapist and
program coordinator in Midwestern, Pennsylvania, and in San Mateo,
California (1972–1979).
David holds both a bachelor of science degree and a master’s
degree in education, with a focus on agricultural education, from
Pennsylvania State University. Mary Lou earned a bachelor of science
degree in speech and hearing from Indiana University of Pennsylvania
and a master’s degree in special education from Slippery
Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. She is a licensed
practical nurse.
Mary Lou is ordained to the ministry and office of deacon at
her home church, Leesburg Presbyterian Church in Volant, Pennsylvania,
and has been Sunday school superintendent, teacher, vacation Bible-school
teacher and director. She has sung in the choir and served on
various committees. David is ordained to the ministry of elder,
has been a church-school teacher and has served on various committees
and the choir in Leesburg Presbyterian Church.
Birthdays:
David - February 24
Mary Lou - August 4
Badhasa - November 5, 1986
Ibsitu - September 5, 1987
Darartu - January 2, 1991
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