Gale & Chrisann Dawson
Gale
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My Story
I was raised in Brush Prairie, Washington, working on our blueberry, strawberry, and raspberry farms. I loved my simple farm life. Upon graduating high-school, I joined the United States Air Force. After training I was sent to Yokota Air Base, Japan. It was there where I first heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and trusted Him as my Savior.
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A short time later I began reading missionary biographies which gave me an intense passion to become a missionary. I then returned to the states and was stationed at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. During my last year of military service, I enrolled in Northeast Baptist School of Theology.
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My Journey
After graduating college, I began raising financial support and landed in Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo) in 1991. My wife Chrisann and I were married December 14th, 1991. My wife, children, and I lived in this volatile, war-torn country for seven years. I continue directing this thriving ministry until this present day.
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My Experience
We returned from the Congo in 2007. I continue fully administrating Rise Congo and am the liaison between supporters and Rise Congo. I continue to serve the Lord both as the Rise Congo Director, but also locally I serve the Lord as a Chaplain and Counselor. My experiences: 3rd world foreign missionary, planted ten churches, trained national leadership, College teacher, Christian school administrator, administrative pastor, men’s ministry pastor, missions pastor, Chaplain, Hospice Chaplain, and a Board Certified Pastoral Counselor, these experiences have allowed me to gain practical insight in leadership, organization, multi-tasking, strategies, stress management, grief, loss, and recovery. Since 2012, I have been the lead Chaplain at our local Christian clinic and a Hospice Chaplain at our local Hospice. These added experiences have given me my skills in the area of the heart, loss, grief, and recovery loss from traumatic experiences, PTSD and more. It has been my greatest joy to walk alongside those needing a coach, counselor, chaplain and friend.
Chrisann
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My Story
For seven years, I lived on the ground in Congo doing mission work, providing me first-hand insight into the setting and culture. My family and I have been working with the Democratic Republic of Congo since 1991. We were on the ground in the interior of the Congo for the 1995 Ebola Outbreak that shocked the world.
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We experienced war, trauma, and the hardships of daily life in Congo during our seven years of living there. I speak Lingala fluently.
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My Journey
My My husband Gale and I have been married for 32 + years. We have three grown children: Suzannah is an ER nurse, Mackay Dawson-Hicks was born in the Congo and is married to a wonderful man, Zach, and William is in the Marine Corps. We currently live in Payson, Arizona where we continue to support the Congo national ministry. I am employed part-time with the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.
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My Experience
My degree is in English grammar and history, and I have taught English grammar for more than twenty years. I've written Congo based novels and devotionals based on classic literature. Check them our on my website at, www.chrisanndawson.com .
