Our History

For generations families and undoubtedly, countless people groups across the globe, have passed on the intricacies of culture to younger generations through storytelling. Stories provide links to others.  They pique our interest in those who have gone before us, in peoples different than ourselves, or in faraway lands we may know nothing about.  Most importantly though, they gift us with the power of discovery, valuable lessons, and allow us to imagine life’s possibilities. 

Josh and Carol have been missionaries in Mali for more than a decade now and have unending stories of trial and triumph in the lives of those to whom and with whom they minister daily.  One such story is a brief tale of how God knit together the hearts of three generations of males bearing the Teater name, to accomplish his purpose. 

Mike, of the second generation, shared with his father and son how a visit to the people of Mali had been life changing for him on multiple levels. While in Mali, Mike, through a life-threatening personal medical crisis, had the opportunity to meet Josh.  He declared how that encounter of prayer in the front seat of a Toyota truck, as Mike awaited medical evacuation back to the US, deepened his journey with Jesus.  The honesty with which he shared multiple aspects of his adventure among peoples in Mali he had not known before revealed the depth of his personal experience.

Amazingly, God used Mike’s story as the conduit of connection to those very same people in his young son, Joshua’s, heart, and mind and he wanted to help them!  Joshua began saving money and when his fortune had reached $11.00, he urged his father to call Josh in Mali to let him know of the gift he wanted to give in making a difference in the life of someone there.  Josh knew exactly who was to receive Joshua’s gift and he immediately bought a big fish and all the trimmings to feed a little girl named Bintou and her family.  Ironically, on the same day Bintou received Joshua’s gift; he too, over 6,000 miles away, had a ‘reel’ good time catching his first fish ever.