Allan Starling, BI 1963 and 1964.

When I applied to work with Gospel Recordings (GR) mission in 1962 they told me I had to first attend BI for two years. This was not good news to me because I thought I was done with studying! In retrospect, it turned out to be a very fruitful and fulfilling two years, and I would not have missed it for anything.    After working at the Cape Town office of GR for a year, the USA headquarters invited me to visit Los Angeles for six months. Being a died-in-the-wool Capetonian, I decided it would be an enjoyable experience but I wouldn’t stay away from the Kaap a moment longer than I had to.   Besides, I didn’t much like Americans.  Little did I know I would work in the USA fifty years, become an American, marry an American, and have three American daughters!  So much for our plans.  God had a better one.

I traveled worldwide as International Coordinator of the mission. I visited many places where tourists don’t normally go, like Chungribu, a small village in the jungle of Papua New Guinea where malarial mosquitoes attacked 24/7.  Other interesting experiences included smuggling Bibles into China, and sneaking evangelical recordings into Nepal.

Before everybody had PCs, I introduced computers into the work of GR. The mission now has the most sophisticated equipment, including an app that enables anyone with a smart phone to listen to gospel messages in any of 6,000 languages.

I have the privilege of regularly teaching adult Bible classes and speaking to patients at a neighborhood nursing home.  My BI training has stood me in good stead.  I still have notes that I made during lectures by Murdo Gordon, Howard Green and others.

My wife, Sue and I send our greetings to all who know us. Sorry we can’t join you for your reunion.
Enjoy yourselves and thank God for all his leading and provision.

Allan Starling