RAE LEE COOPER: General Conference (GC)
CITY AND COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: Burtonsville, Maryland, USA
MARRIED TO: Lowell Cooper
YEARS MARRIED: 43 years
CHILDREN:
Jondell Roy, a pediatric nurse, lives with her husband, Rob Roy, and daughter, Paige, 5, in TriCities, Washington.
Todd Cooper an oral surgeon, and lives with his wife, Holly, and their two children, Ava, 1, and Spencer, 2, in Tri-Cities, Washington.
WORK: I am the General Conference nurse working with the Health Ministries Department.
FAVORITE FOOD: I like many foods, but especially curry with rice.
FAVORITE PLACE: The beach—any warm beach!
FAVORITE BOOK: I have many favorites, but I especially enjoy reading the Bible. I also like reading medical history books and books that contain weather-related stories.
ONE OF YOUR MOST MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES IN MINISTRY: I really enjoyed our mission service together, especially in India, where we lived for 15 years. I enjoyed raising our kids overseas in the mission field and working with children in choirs, Pathfinders, and camps. It was also very rewarding working with foster-care babies in India. A foster-care program for abandoned babies was set up on the Division compound headquarters in Puna. When the missionary who had set up the program went on permanent return, she asked me and another missionary wife to continue running the program. We trained women on the compound to care for these abandoned babies and ran well-baby clinics each week. These babies grew up on the compound where they received good nutrition and care. Many were adopted into wonderful families.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN?
The peace that it gives. What I really enjoy is the peace. We don’t have to worry. We have a God who takes care of us, who helps us with our problems. It’s the peace that is wonderful.
ERNESTINE (TEENIE) FINLEY: General Conference (GC)
CITY AND COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: Haymarket, Virginia, USA
MARRIED TO: Mark Finley
YEARS MARRIED: 43 years
CHILDREN:
Debbie Finley Boland a physician in her second year of residency in neurology, lives in Peoria, Illinois, with her husband, Kevin.
Rebecca Finley Barnhurst is a registered dietician living in Ooltewah, Tennessee with her husband, Loren. They have one daughter, Claire.
Mark Finley, Jr. is presently training in Winchester, Virginia, to become a physician assistant. His wife, Denise, is a homemaker. They have one son, Dyson.
WORK: I work with the Hope Channel and also in evangelism, doing pre-evangelism in areas where my husband, Mark Finley, is scheduled to hold meetings. In addition, I also organize his public evangelistic meetings in the United States.
FAVORITE FOOD: Every fruit and veggie, as well as pasta.
FAVORITE PLACE: Home in Haymarket, Virginia, where we live in the country surrounded by mountains. I also enjoy the area around Orlando, Florida.
FAVORITE BOOK: The Bible.
ONE OF YOUR MOST MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES IN MINISTRY: The most meaningful times have been when we were working in evangelism for the first time in Communist countries. It was exciting to see hundreds of people who for the first time came to a public auditorium to attend evangelistic meetings in Gdansk, Poland.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN?
I’m thankful for the privilege of knowing Christ, and I love the Adventist message. Adventist history and its early beginnings really inspire me. We simply have a wonderful Biblical heritage. I think we are a privileged people that God has blessed. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is not just another church or just another denomination—it’s a movement of destiny for God’s people. It’s incredibly exciting to be part of the Adventist Church.
ALICE HSU: General Conference (GC)
CITY AND COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: Burtonsville, Maryland, USA
MARRIED TO: Eugene Hsu
YEARS MARRIED: 42 years
VERNA KARST: General Conference (GC)
CITY AND COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: Burtonsville, Maryland, USA
MARRIED TO: Gerry Karst
YEARS MARRIED: 45 years
CHILDREN:
Vincent—a physician living and working in Orlando, Florida
Vernon—a math/science teacher at the Beltsville Adventist School in Maryland
Lisa—living in Laurel, Maryland where she has been homeschooling her 3 boys
6 1/2 grandchildren (one is due in September 2010)
WORK: Retired (previously worked at Adventist Risk Management), but keeping very busy babysitting grandchildren, traveling with Eugene, and being at home.
FAVORITE FOOD: Asian food—Thai, Chinese, and especially food from Singapore.
FAVORITE PLACE: Singapore, where I was born and lived for 19 years. I still have memories of growing up in Singapore, and I still love it.
FAVORITE BOOK: On Gold Mountain, by Lisa See. This book is a memoir, telling the experiences of Fong See, Lisa’s great-grandfather from China, who immigrated to Los Angeles, California in the late 19th century and married a Caucasian woman at a time when that was “not done.” He was a pioneer of Los Angeles’ Chinatown and during his 100 years of life experienced many extraordinary things. On Gold Mountain not only tells the story and experiences of Fong See and his wife Ticie, but also helps points out the ways in which memory and experience influence our sense of who we are.
ONE OF YOUR MOST MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES IN MINISTRY: It is very meaningful to meet people from different countries—such as the time we went to Romania and were able to worship with other Adventists there. It was wonderful to see how they were so strong in the faith. They didn’t have much, but they were so happy in the Lord.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN?
Knowing that this is the remnant church and that I’m on the right path—that is a very comforting thought to me. I was born into Adventism, and I have always been happy to be an Adventist. I’ve never thought about wandering away for me it is such a happy experience to be a Seventh-day Adventist.
CHILDREN:
Julie Satelmajer, who has a swimming pool business with her husband in Canada
Dr. Jeffrey Karst, who is an interventional radiologist in California
WORK: Before retiring in 2009, I spent 15 years serving as the Registered Nurse in the Health Ministries Department of the General Conference
FAVORITE FOOD: Chocolate
FAVORITE PLACE: The Canadian Rocky Mountains
FAVORITE BOOK: The one I’m reading at the time!
ONE OF YOUR MOST MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES IN MINISTRY: Being an assistant when needed. I like to stay in the background and help.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN?
The feeling of belonging to a family wherever I go to church the world over.
ROSY MIRANDA: General Conference (GC)
CITY AND COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: Burtonsville, Maryland, USA
MARRIED TO: Armando Miranda
YEARS MARRIED: 36 years
CHILDREN:
Liz, is married and teaches music at Valley Grande Academy in Texas.
Rosy, is married and teaches at Richardson Academy in Texas.
Armando, is married and is a pastor in Brownsville, Texas.
WORK: I work as an Administrative Assistant at the North American Division.
FAVORITE FOOD: Mexican and Italian food
FAVORITE PLACE: My home and Cancun
FAVORITE BOOK: The Bible, the book of books!
ONE OF YOUR MOST MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES IN MINISTRY: My husband travels extensively, so I spend a lot of time by myself. But I am not alone, because God is always with me, and He gives me the opportunity to travel with my husband to many places and know about other cultures.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN?
God is good in a very big way! He has taken care of and guided me throughout my life.
JUDITH MWANSA: General Conference (GC)
CITY AND COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: Laurel, Maryland, USA
MARRIED TO: Pardon Mwansa
YEARS MARRIED: 26 years
CHILDREN:
Paul, pursuing a Master’s degree in Religion and Philosophy.
Maggie, a senior completing her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science.
Helen, completing her Bachelor’s of science in Nursing.
David, just graduated from high school in May.
WORK: Homemaking—I love being with my family. In addition, I find my home is always full of friends, which I enjoy very much. I love entertaining, gardening, and sewing, even if I do not have much time for it. I am hoping to learn how to knit. I also serve as departmental secretary for Women’s Ministries at the General Conference. Part of my work includes preparing the articles sent by women from all over the world for the annual women’s devotional book.
FAVORITE FOOD: Haystacks, rice and beans.
FAVORITE PLACE: Zambia, my home country.
FAVORITE BOOK: The Bible because of its wide range of teachings on all issues of life.
ONE OF YOUR MOST MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES IN MINISTRY: Praying for/with and worshiping together with other believers in different cultures around the world, knowing that even in our “differentness”, we love the same God and He loves us, and we have the same goals and purpose as we serve our God on this earth. It has been a joy praying for my brothers and sisters in Christ and especially for my husband, who travels a lot.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN?
What I love most about being a seventh-day Adventist is that somehow God has managed to make us a global family. When we travel to other parts of the world and mention that we are Seventh-day Adventists, immediately all other Adventists from those parts of the world relate to us just like real brothers and sisters. I also find the teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to be very practical and helpful in my daily living.
JEANIE RYAN: General Conference (GC)
CITY AND COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
MARRIED TO: Mike Ryan
YEARS MARRIED: 41 years
CHILDREN:
Gina Wyatt—works as a radiologist in Clarksville, Tennessee. She and her husband have one daughter, Ella, who is 41/2.
Heidi Kapusta—lives in Newnan, Georgia where she has been working as a high school history teacher but is now studying nursing.
WORK: Nurse Practitioner working in out-patient orthopedics at the Baltimore Veterans Administration Medical Center.
FAVORITE FOOD: Rice and curry; Indian breads
FAVORITE PLACE: The San Juan Mountains of Colorado. We greatly enjoy outdoor activities, and there is a lot to do there—hiking, camping, rafting, snowshoeing . . .
FAVORITE BOOK: Christ’s Object Lessons by Ellen G. White.
ONE OF YOUR MOST MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES IN MINISTRY: When my husband and I went to Cambodia in 2003. He did evangelism and I gave health presentations and held clinics. Before our arrival, others had given Bible studies to prepare the people for the evangelistic series. The Holy spirit blessed the meetings, and many were led to Jesus and baptized.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN?
I love being part of God’s huge, international family. Wherever you go, you can find another seventh-day Adventist who is waiting for Jesus to come, just like you are. Even if you can’t speak their language, you have a basic understanding of each other. That is fabulous.
NANCY WILSON: General Conference
CITY AND RESIDENCE: Brookeville, Maryland, USA
CHILDREN:
Emilie Louise is a nurse and is married to Kameron DeVasher, a pastor. They are anxiously awaiting the birth of their first baby, due July 20.
Elizabeth Esther is also a nurse and is married to David Wright, also a pastor. Their two children—Lauren, 3, and Matthew, 1—are the delight of our lives!
Catherine Anne is a physical therapist and is married to Robert Renck, a dentist. They are expecting their first baby september 8.
WORK: I consider my most important work to be a wife, mother, and homemaker. That is what I enjoy more than anything. I am also a physical therapist doing PRN work in home health, which I love.
FAVORITE FOOD: I love fresh fruits, especially mangos, red papaya, and strawberries. I also love Middle Eastern food.
FAVORITE PLACE: Home with family.
FAVORITE BOOK: The Bible is #1. The Desire of Ages would probably be second.
ONE OF YOUR MOST MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES IN MINISTRY: Being able to fellowship and experience the sense of family with our believers all over the world, regardless of cultural or racial differences. Biblical truth truly binds us together.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN?
The peace, joy and ultimate happiness that comes with an understanding of the biblical theme of the Great Controversy, which sheds light on all that is going on around us, is a source of inestimable comfort to me. It also defines our role as a church.
