Our Faith Journey
Doug
Doug was raised in a Christian family and remembers well hearing about the work of missionaries around the world. He trusted Jesus as his Savior when he was young, but struggled to maintain his independence. When Doug was confronted with the need for missionaries through his parents or at his Christian school, he outright rejected the idea of going. He had hopes of a future in computers or electronics engineering. But the Lord put this question in Doug's mind: "Why not be a missionary?" and He allowed him no peace until Doug gave Him an answer. Doug's excuses were plenty, but he always felt like he was running from the question. A point came in his junior year of high school when he realized he would have no peace if he continued to ignore the Lord's calling. He said, "OK, Lord, I'll do whatever you want me to do, even if it means living in a mud hut in Africa." At that moment, Doug experienced peace and soon felt the Lord leading and equipping him for a career with Wycliffe Bible Translators. His faith became something he was burdened to share with others. Doug knew firsthand that peace can only be found in the center of God's will. After high school, Doug earned a Bachelor's in Religious Education from Kuyper College in preparation for linguistic training with Wycliffe. And that is where he met Priscilla ...
Priscilla
Priscilla was raised in a Christian family and attended a Christian school for the first eight years of her formal education. Upon graduation from eighth grade, Priscilla transferred to the county's public school. This was her first deep exposure to the secular lifestyle. During her senior year, she worked almost full-time in a Christian nursing home, which to her indicated a future in nursing. However, while attending Calvin College, Priscilla discovered that chemistry was not her strong point and had to choose another career. For a year and a half she explored other majors available at Calvin, but with no direction. Then, from a friend's conversation and encouragement, Priscilla signed up for a Spring Break Volunteer Project in Port Gibson, Mississippi. There she discovered an enjoyment in serving others in a missions setting. Missions became a reality. Then, through work and personal exploring, God showed Priscilla where she fit into missions. She first noticed Wycliffe Bible Translators. She thought she could go right away without any formal secretarial training, but was mistaken. Priscilla told her parents what she was looking for in a new school. Priscilla's mom, an avid reader of the denominational magazine The Banner, saw an advertisement for a new secretarial program through Kuyper College. Priscilla explored the possibilities and enrolled in their secretarial program. When she first talked with Doug and found out he also was planning to work with Wycliffe, she thought it was a neat coincidence — but as their relationship became more serious, they realized that God was providing each of them with a lifetime partner to work in Bible translation.
Together
After graduating from Kuyper College, Doug and Priscilla were married in 1990 and together attended linguistics courses at the International Linguistic Center in Dallas. Upon completion of their studies, they were assigned to Côte d'Ivoire and Mali. They raised financial support for their work and left for Belgium to learn French. Less than two years later, the Higbys arrived in West Africa.
More than thirty years later, Doug and Priscilla are still doing what God called each of them to as young people — Doug in language technology, Priscilla in preparing Scripture for publication and distribution — so that more people can hear God speak in the language of their heart. The assignments have changed many times; the calling has not. And they have found, again and again, that peace is still only found in the center of God's will.
