Mike & Vicky with their children Jake, Zak & Luke (Click on the photo to enlarge)

Mike and Vicky first met at Durham University, from where Mike graduated in engineering and Vicky in natural sciences, but they came to know one another properly only after circumstances brought them to Cranleigh.

Mike is indebted to Christian schoolteachers, having expressed faith, read his Bible and prayed from the age of eight. He was helped very much at Scripture Union camp as a 14-year-old and a 'gap' year before university was also a big turning point. Vicky had become a believer while doing a post-graduate certificate in education in Cambridge in 1995.

Mike proposed marriage to Vicky under the Eiffel Tower and they married on December 21st, 1996. They now have three boys, Jake (born 1998), Zak (born 2000) and Luke (born 2004).

Both are trained teachers and taught at private schools in the Cranleigh area until Vicky's first pregnancy, after which she joined Mike running the Christian Union at Cranleigh School.

Mike has felt a burden for the middle East since university. God gave him a 'heart for the region' through a prayer group at Durham and through reading and supporting people involved in the region. Before becoming a believer, Vicky had always wanted to do voluntary work overseas. In preparation to go to the Middle East to serve God, they spent a year studying at Redcliffe College in Gloucester, where Vicky really came to share Mike's vision for the Middle East.

They have been learning Arabic since Summer 2002. It is interesting that, although he died before Vicky became a Christian, one of only two believing members of her family was her maternal grandfather who spoke Arabic and lived in the Middle East for some time.

Mike is now teaching Physics and English and uses his Arabic a lot in the school day and sometimes even uses it in class if he thinks he's not being understood! Vicky cares for Luke, does some home schooling with the older boys, and spends time supporting several ladies locally. Their vision is to also work in partnership with the local church in reaching the unreached.

Mike and Vicky both love sport, any sport and used to do a lot. They also like walking, entertaining and spending time with their children. Mike loves reading (some novels but mainly academic books) and Vicky loves chatting with her friends. E-mail is becoming quite a hobby!!

The family call themselves 'K5' for short, since each of their names includes the letter 'K', an idea they took from the children's television programme 'Sesame Street'.