|
 |
|
|
||||||||
|
|
Family Biography John was born in Peru, Illinois, on April 9, 1961 to James & Nancy Gherardini. He was raised as a Roman Catholic. At the age of 19, after hearing the Gospel for the third time he received Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior. Immediately after his salvation he started attending the First Baptist Church of LaSalle, IL. One year later, he was baptized and became a member of the First Baptist Church of LaSalle, IL. It was at that church where he met Sharon Kamphuis. They were married on January 8, 1983. Sharon was born March 6, 1964 in Chicago, IL to Jerry and Mary Kamphuis. She was raised in the Dutch Reformed Church. At the age of eight her parents moved to the town of Peru, were they joined the First Baptist Church of LaSalle, IL. Sharon was saved that year and was baptized. Sharon was active in the church activities. Sharon attended and graduated from LaSalle-Peru Christian School. Together we had the privilege of working with the youth and in the Awana program. In June of 1985 we moved to the Atlanta GA area. We joined Anchor Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia. We settled in Gwinnett county because it was fastest growing county in America at that time. John desired to become a home builder and make it rich, but God had other plans for our lives. In the fall of 1987 we joined Corinth Baptist Church of Stone Mountain, GA where Dr Don Richards was and is the Pastor. We became very involved in the church activities. John took on a bus route and Sharon became the nursery coordinator. We were also assistants in the high school SS class. Our call: Our pastor has a great heart for missions and would have missionaries in often to preach and present their burdens. The annual missions conference is a special occasion there. God used all of this to burden our hearts for His command for us to go into all the world. John surrendered to preach the Gospel and to be a missionary in the fall of 1988. John started attending the Gwinnett Hall Baptist Bible College and was accepted with Macedonia World Baptist Mission in March of 1989. John finished Bible College in June of 1991 and started deputation as a missionary to the State of Oregon. After one year of very little success and much struggle to raise support, we were discouraged. A family from our church sent us to visit some dear missionary friends, the David Fenley family, out of our home church in Jamaica. After we spent two weeks there, we knew without a doubt that God was calling us to the West Indies. First Term: Our first term was spent in Jamaica where we were able to assist in three independent Baptist Churches. The Lord also allowed us to lay the groundwork for Lighthouse Independent Baptist Church of Seville Heights, Jamaica. We are grateful for the time we spent there and the precious souls God allowed us to lead to Him. We are very thankful for the experience and training we received. Second Term: We spent our second term on the island of St. Lucia where we worked in Lighthouse Baptist Church of Augier, St. Lucia. We took the new church from missionary Jerry Nye and continued to build on the foundation he has laid. Lighthouse Baptist Church has regular services just as normal churches in the states. We have Sunday School, Youth Meeting, Saturday Bible Club, Fundamental Baptist Bible College, visitation, bus ministry, and VBS. Our attendance runs between 35-45 to all the services. We have a faithful bunch who are now interested in soul-winning and reaching their families and friends to the Lord. Third Term: We returned to St Lucia in May 2006. It is our goal this term to train a national pastor and turn this work over to be completely indigenous. Please pray with us that this will be accomplished. |
