By Phil and Brenda Bray

We had to laugh when the missions conference speaker said, “We don’t need another 55 year old man enrolling in seminary.” He retreated once he found out we fit that profile exactly, but actually we had asked ourselves that same question many times. Why would we, a couple in our mid 50’s with children and grandchildren, abandon our careers, our home, our family and friends to pursue “second career” missions?

Missions had always been integral to our family life and we increasingly became more actively involved. We hosted international students, went on a short-term missions trip and had jobs in the international sphere. As our parents moved on to eternity, our kids moved out of the house and we moved into middle age, we realized we could be more active in ministry.

The final push came with our exit from our careers—Brenda from teaching to care for aging parents and Phil from his airline management position. The careers had been full of challenge and opportunity but had come to a point of “godly dissatisfaction.” We revisited Phil’s 35 year hope for a seminary education. To our surprise and delight, within one year of quitting the professional world, our home had sold and we were on our way from Anchorage, Alaska to Dallas, Texas. The details of our future were uncertain, but we suspected that it would center on missions.

Seven months before graduation, while praying about the next step, we were visited by the senior leadership of SEND International. Friends of ours, SEND missionaries in Russia and Kazakhstan, had suggested the meeting. We were asked to consider SEND, particularly a proposed outreach to the business and professional community of Moscow, Russia. This intrigued us, since we both had numerous professional and ministry involvements in the Russian Far East.

We were interested in the concept of the project—to reach professionals for Christ so that they in turn can reach out to their colleagues. We were most impressed, however, by the character of the SEND missionaries, particularly Ralph and Myrna Alexander, 20 year veterans of ministry to the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

We committed to pray about applying for membership and within seven months, Phil graduated seminary, we applied to SEND and attended missionary training. 

What I had feared most about missions was partnership development. We had always counted it a privilege to give to missions. In our nine months of raising support, we experienced the joy of receiving and grew more confident in the vision as our friends, family and church rapidly came to our side in prayer and financial support.

We moved to Moscow in September 2008 to work with International Christian Fellowship (a Russian Baptist Union outreach to the international and Russian community). We immediately found ourselves in a challenging, yet timely position for outreach in the wake of the world economic collapse. Small group Bible studies, individual mentoring, speaking at retreats, teaching English, leading “philosophy clubs” in a public school, are examples of how our time is filled.

Our ministry is unique in that our visas limit us to 90 days in country followed by a 90 day absence. Our time in Moscow is full, yet we are blessed to have the time between terms of service to give to our families in Alaska and California. It seems to be a perfect fit for us; second career missionaries who have the desire to serve cross-culturally yet are committed to our children and grandchildren.

As I write this my granddaughter Anna is standing next to me as we look out of the window of our Alaskan mountain cabin. She wants to know when I will be done so that we can play Uno. She knows that next week Grandma and Grandpa are going back to Moscow to tell people about Jesus. She says that is “OK with me!”

God is good.

We are thankful to the Lord and to SEND for giving us the opportunity to enjoy godly satisfaction at this stage in our lives.

You can find the latest prayer requests and news from Phil and Brenda Bray on their missionary page.