David and Liza Cooke are CMS mission partners in training. Bringing a wealth of experience, they hope to be serving in mid or East Africa in peace and reconciliation work.

Their call and vision is in grass roots training and discipleship with a focus of biblical teaching and reconciliation of broken communities. This will involve training church leaders and communities in reconciliation and promoting restorative justice.

For many years David was senior partner in a law firm specialising in court advocacy, commercial leases and elderly care. He has also trained and practises as a mediator and a counsellor and is a proponent of Restorative Justice, and is currently completing an MA in this field.

Liza trained as a primary school teacher and taught reception for several years before moving into special needs education. For the last 15 years she has taught in MLD and SEBD schools. She is also a qualified EFL Teacher and has spent the last few summers hosting and teaching English to students from many different cultures.

They both have many years experience in discipleship training and mentoring. For the last 14 years they have lived as a family and then as a couple in an extended household, which has been a source of both growth and joy.

David and Liza met and married during their university days and have recently celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. hey have a long history of involvement in Africa both individually and together. Indeed their sense of calling took them to All Nations Christian College 28 years ago to train in Biblical and Inter-cultural Studies with the intention of going straight off with their four little girls to serve... if they have learned nothing else they have learned that God’s timing is perfect!

The intervening 28 years have involved refinement, acquisition of key skills and essential learning. Numerous short term trips to Africa have kept the passion alive and they are now thrilled to be able to make a long term commitment to serving there.

Published: 15:43 :: 08 September 2011 :: 1228 views :: ::
Last updated: 21 October 2011
See other stories in these categories: People in Mission - Africa