Serving as On-Site Coordinators for the BFC (Bethany First Nazarene Church) Partnership.

We never knew retirement could be so fulfilling!!!

We met at Bethany Nazarene College (now SNU) in the ‘60’s. We just celebrated our 52nd wedding anniversary.

We began our marriage in Bethany, Oklahoma and, after many moves, we are again located in the Oklahoma City area. We began our marriage in ministry...Doug was the first junior high minister of youth at BFC…and since retirement we’ve been volunteering for the BFC Partnership. Doug’s main career was upper management with State Farm Insurance. We lived in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Illinois and Maryland. After taking early retirement he managed several oil and gas-related companies in Oklahoma. Margaret’s degree in music led to a very rewarding life of service in churches wherever we lived, spending many hours on organ and piano benches.

In 2018 we moved to Manzini, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) to serve as On-Site Coordinators. Our duties included hosting visiting teams, leading these teams in service (both evangelistic and physical labor) in churches, clinics/hospital, and schools. It was our pleasure to oversee the completion of several churches, orphanages, pre-schools, nurses’ housing, and RFM Hospital Operating Theatre renovation. Our latest project, which is very close to our hearts, is to see the completion of Haven of Hope, a home for at-risk girls and women.

After spending the majority of 2018 and 2019 in Eswatini, it is our hope and prayer that we will be able to return after the COVID-19 pandemic goes away. In the meantime, our work is continuing. God knew what was coming and impressed on us that we should hire a Swazi assistant before we came back in November of 2019. Sabelo Dlamini is doing a wonderful job of working with our local volunteers and seeing all our projects continue to completion. His heart is in harmony with ours.

God has given us this scripture for the Haven of Hope: Job 11:17-19 (NIV)

“Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning.
You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor.”

We covet your prayers for these precious girls that need help so desperately.

For more information, visit Eaton Swazi Journey on Facebook.