Johannesburg South Africa-Some people dream of Africa. Chuck and Darlene Saunders have lived it.
They live on the continent that is thousands of miles in both distance and culture from their last home, which was in Goodrich. The Saunders left their Goodrich home 20 years ago for Swaziland, but their journey began even before then.
Chuck, 55, grew up in India, the son of parents who were missionaries. Darlene, 60, was one of six children of a farmer and teacher. They met in Virginia at a church associated with the school where Darlene was a first-grade teacher. Chuck (who has an electrical engineering degree) had come from Michigan to do work with his church-building construction company. They married in June 1972 and moved to Grand Blanc, where their two children, Duana and Joe, were born in 1973 and 1975. They built a home off Green Road in Goodrich in 1979 and began attending Ortonville Baptist Church. Only three years later, they made a life-changing decision.
‘Due to how blessed we were, we wanted to be able to go whereever God could use us,? says Darlene Saunders.
The Saunders knew about Trans World Radio, a ministry in which Christian programs are broadcast in countries around the world. They decided to become missionaries for TWR and in 1982, they went as a family to the TWR station in Guam, where Chuck would help construct a new studio/office building. They stayed six months and their children began school ‘a little late? for the fall term in Goodrich.
They made the decision to apply to be career missionaries with TWR and when they were accepted, were given the choice of Guam or Swaziland.
‘When we were assigned to Swaziland, we were glad, and the kids? Goodrich teachers were encouraging about our going, as well,? Darlene said.
The family moved to Swaziland in November 1984, after raising full support through churches, including their home church of Ortonville Baptist. They moved into mission housing in Africa and sold their Goodrich home soon after they arrived.
In Swaziland, Duana and Joe began attending a small school for missionary kids and later attended an international high school there. Darlene was a full-time teacher for three years, then did some substitute teaching and various part-time work in the offices and also worked in human resources. Chuck helped to design, build and maintain TWR buildings.
TWR missionaries are technical people who work behind the scenes so the messages can get put out on the radio in 55 different languages in Africa, Darlene said.
‘Many countries do not have nearly the availability of churches and Bible teaching that the western world has. So when they can hear a message in their own language for even 30 minutes daily, they just cry for more of this good news,? she explained. ‘So many African countries are in turmoil and political upheaval, many people having a hard time getting even daily subsistence and many are dying of AIDS.?
She adds that listeners often gather around radios to listen. Churches are often started from groups gathering around a radio to hear the programs. Radios aren’t cheap, but donors often supply radios for poor areas like Zimbabwe, where Saunders says many people can not afford basic necessities.
Two years ago, the Saunders moved to the TWR Africa regional offices in Johannesburg. Their children moved back to the United States long ago, to attend college, marry and have children.
In Johannesburg, Darlene Saunders notes that there are many different races and people? predominantly black, many whites, Indians, Portuguese, British, European, and Chinese. She enjoys the diversity of people she meets. Although there are 11 different languages spoken in South Africa, it has not presented a barrier for the Americans, since most people they have met in Swaziland and South Africa can speak English.
Darlene Saunders has liked both African countries she has lived in.
‘We really enjoyed living in Swaziland, especially living out in the country for our last 6-8 years, on a small hill where it was beautiful, mostly peaceful and quiet,? she said. ‘Chuck and our son both loved to go out for a day on butterfly safaris. Chuck has one of the biggest butterfly collections in Swaziland.?
In Johannesburg, she enjoys shopping and eating out at ‘lots of nice places.? They are close to church and like to get together with friends for braais (barbecues) and games. She likes the weather, which is mostly sunny, although she says the winters can get cold with no central heating in their homes.
They enjoy the game parks and have most often visited the big Kruger National Park in South Africa, usually when they’ve had American visitors.
But living in Africa has drawbacks, too. Saunders dislikes being far from their children and grandchildren. She also missed the funerals of her parents.
‘I wasn’t able to come home for the death of either my mother or father, partly because I had been there a few months before my father died and then we were coming to the USA shortly after my mother’s death,? says Saunders.
Saunders said she and Chuck will have their seventh furlough, or home leave, in August. They have previously come for daughter Duana’s wedding and Christmas 2003. Chuck came when his father died, and Darlene was able to be in the U.S. for the births of three grandchildren.
The Saunders hope to discuss retirement with their sponsoring churches when they come home.
‘More and more, especially with five grandchildren now, we think of retirement,? said Darlene. ‘By Chuck’s age we would still have 9 more years, but we will talk at our TWR headquarters about the possibility of retiring in 6-7 years, with some possible involvement with TWR even after we leave living here.?