Adele Booysen
Coming to ELI has been a long and interesting journey. I was born and raised in South Africa. In 1995, I left for Taiwan where I worked at a ministry called Overseas Radio & Television. ORTV uses English teaching as a means to reach Chinese people around the world. I am thankful for the incredible opportunities I had at ORTV to learn and grow as a missionary/editor.
After more than seven years in Taiwan, God opened the door for me to go to Azusa Pacific University to pursue a Master’s degree. While studying and teaching at APU, I led summer missions to Southern Africa. One of my teams received agricultural training at ELI’s center in Rancho Cucamonga, and we were able to effectively train pastors in Mozambique. I was thoroughly impressed with ELI and the effect this ministry had in Africa.
Next, I moved to Iowa in order to prepare for full-time ministry, and I took a team from New Covenant Bible Church to serve at ELI’s Ukweli Training Center in Ilula, Kenya.
I felt a strong call to return to Africa. For about a year after graduating, however, I was certain that I’d return to Africa only on short-term assignments. God kept speaking to me about long-term involvement in ministry on my home continent, and by late fall of 2005, I joined this ministry full-time.
I’m delighted to be a part of the team at Ilula. My role is primarily as communications coordinator, which includes ministry updates, communications with child sponsors, and more. I’m also the in-country liaison for short-term visitors to the Ukweli Training Center and Empowering Lives Children’s Home.
What I love about my role at ELI is how it encompasses my various passions and experiences. I am enjoying getting to know the staff and children and learning from them—their language, their culture, and from their walk with God.