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

Mike and Vicky first met briefly on a squash court at Durham University where Mike graduated in engineering and Vicky in natural sciences. However, they only came to know each other properly when they both took up their first teaching posts in the Cranleigh area

Mike is indebted to Christian schoolteachers and Scripture Union summer camps. Having expressed faith, read his Bible and prayed from the age of eight, there were big turning points in his growth at the age of 15 and on his GAP year. Vicky had believing grandparents (one of whom had lived in the Middle East and spoke Arabic) who prayed for her. Vicky enquired during her time at university and came to faith in her PGCE year at Cambridge in 1995

Mike proposed marriage to Vicky under the Eiffel Tower and they married on 21st December, 1996. The now have four boys, Jake (1998), Zak (2000), Luke (2004) and Mark (2009).

Both taught for two years at nearby schools Cranleigh and Farlington until the arrival of Jake when Vicky stopped work to devote time to the children and the shared ministry at Cranleigh School.

Mike has felt a burden for the Middle East since his second year at university which started in a Muslim prayer group and grew through reading, talks and supporting people working in the region. Before becoming a believer, Vicky had always wanted to do voluntary work overseas and during their brief courtship she came to share Mike’s vision to serve in the Middle East. In preparation to go to the Middle East, they spent a year studying at Redcliffe College, Gloucester.

In 2002 they departed the UK to study Arabic in Jordan where they remained working with the local church until they returned to the UK for the first home assignment in 2005. They then moved to Lebanon to work at the Lebanese Evangelical School in Tyre where they continue to serve. Mike teaches Physics to secondary students and both Mike and Vicky seek to serve in as many other ways as possible. Both lead weekly chapels and Mike does a weekly devotion in staff prayers. Mike helps lead the school youth group and both Mike and Vicky lead the Sunday school and crèche at the local church. Vicky runs a weekly toddler group as well as a Bible study for a group of local ladies connected to the school. Mike runs a student community service group as well as the school running team and various school trips throughout the year.

They long to see the local church grow and to make the most of all the opportunities afforded them working at an evangelical school in such a unique part of the world.

Mike and Vicky both love sport and relax by playing sport or by reading books. Vicky loves chatting to her friends on skype or at a local coffee shop! They also love their children and enjoy spending time with them but it might be pushing it to say that they relax that way!