Our Story
We got our career start as pastors and missionaries.
We survived just above and below the federal poverty line for the first 20 years of our marriage. Billy had the job, but Meredith and the kids were heavily involved in the work. And the work was so rewarding!
Ministry work involves long hours, high emotion, walking alongside the very best and worst of humanity, and your livelihood is entirely dependent upon the generosity of others. We learned a lot about patience and humility. We learned true generosity from a few amazing examples.
At some point, we found that our hearts were bigger than our wallets. We would periodically catch wind of a project or charity doing amazing work, and we wanted to contribute. We were also in debt. $16,000 in credit card debt to be exact.
We made a decision to get ourselves out of debt so that we would be in a position to help others.
For two years, we made cuts wherever we could. We worked side jobs. We didn’t take vacations. We didn’t buy gifts. We put every extra dollar toward debt. We paid it all off. Then we led a group of college students to Cambodia and fell in love.
The Kingdom of Cambodia is still rebuilding itself from a genocide that killed a quarter of the population and targeted educated individuals. We found ourselves in a position to help! Our family of four spent a summer in Phnom Penh teaching English, working alongside humanitarian organizations, and building relationships.
Then we went back to live there for two more years.
It was a humbling experience. It was like we were toddlers, trying to figure out the most basic things. We learned how to speak the language. We learned to drive in the chaotic traffic. We figured out how to get clean water, pay an electric bill, and make friends. Cambodia holds a special place in our hearts. We suffered some medical trauma, some heartbreaks, and eventually made our return to Oregon.
After a few more years of familiar ministry work, it was time to find something new. There were no scandals, no hard feelings, and no regrets. The first job that seemed interesting was for a “community development officer” at a local Credit Union. We had no real understanding of Credit Unions, but from the first interview, the message was clear: Credit Unions want to help people. We can get behind that!
Billy continues his career at the Credit Union, overseeing Community Development, Marketing, and Training.
Meredith works full-time to take care of Ethan. His story is coming soon.
