Petersen Family

Steve (from Denver Colorado) heard the Lord’s call to missions when he was just 12 years old and first served on a Teen Missions team to the Virgin Islands in 1979 when he was 15 . After graduating in 1984 from Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas, Steve joined Teen Missions and served that first year as an assistant coordinator at the Brazil overseas Boot Camp. Since then Steve has served in overseas Boot Camps in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, the Philippines, Jordan, Indonesia, and Lebanon. He’s been a leader on 16 American teams. Steve is now leading the Computer/Video Department. During spare moments, he enjoys cycling, working on the yard, reading, and anything to do with the computer.

Gay (from Shreveport, Louisiana) graduated from Louisiana State University in 1994 with a master's degree in Education and bachelor's degree in Computer Science. She was a popular 2nd grade teacher who served three summers as a volunteer leader to South Africa, Hungary, and Malawi from 1990-1992… Never to be the same again, she worked to pay off her college debts and came on full-time staff in 1995. Steve was known as the ‘President of the Bachelors to the Rapture’ but nothing is impossible with God, and after a bout in the hospital with malaria, Steve felt a peace from the Lord and while on a flight to the Philippines asked Gay to marry him (she said yes). They were married on Sept 2, 2000 and their son, Timothy was born in November, 2001. The Lord blessed their family even more when Faith was born in January, 2005. Gay enjoys cutting coupons (save, save, save), cycling with the family, reading, cooking, nesting around the house, and corresponding with friends and family. She is currently leading the Personnel/Promotions Department.