Veteran missionary family on Bethany Campus for 2004-2005 school year

Posted: Friday, July 16th, 2004

left-to-right: Jorel, DeLonn, Shayla, Valerie, and LaDawn.

For what is certainly an unprecedented delight at Bethany, an entire veteran missionary family of five will be together on the campus for the 2004-2005 school year.

DeLonn and Valerie Rance, both Bethany alumni and 20-year veteran missionaries to El Salvador, will be serving as Missionaries-In-Residence (MIR) for the 2004-2005 school year, and their two daughters and their son will all be full-time students at the College.

The MIR concept has brought some of the best known and loved missionaries to the campus over the years. Most recently, Mary Mahon, veteran missionary to Latin America, served in that capacity for the 2003-2004 year. The purpose of the MIR program is to model missions by bringing gifted home and foreign missionaries to the campus, mentor and encourage those called to the mission field among the student population, and maintain the strong world missions focus for which Bethany College has been known over the years.

Part of the Rances' responsibilities include serving as Campus Pastors, Coordinators of Student Ministries, and teaching courses in the School of the Bible. As President Max Rossi stated: "We are elated and eagerly looking forward to the Rances' arrival on campus as we seek to strengthen our off-campus ministries to the elderly and other relegated sectors of our society. We are grateful for God's divine provision, as the Rances are uniquely qualified to help Bethany reach the next level of excellence in Campus Ministries."

DeLonn and Valerie's vision is to train and equip Latin Americans to become missionaries to the world. To accomplish this they have been teaching in the Central Bible School in El Salvador and in the Assembly of God Christian University of El Salvador. They have also started a Missionary Training Center called CAMAD.For more information, go to their website:www.delonnandvalerierance.com.

LaDawn, who will be a senior at Bethany, was born in Springfield, MO and moved to El Salvador when she was one and a half years old. LaDawn was co-leader of the Bethany students world missions projects and activities; she was part of a 13-member team that ministered in England this summer on a missions trip.

Jorel was born in El Salvador, and will be entering his sophomore year at the College. He loves sports, especially basketball and baseball.

Delonn and Valerie's youngest, Shayla, was born in Scotts Valley, CA, at the former Mission Villa, on Tabor Drive. She moved to El Salvador when she was six months old. She will be entering Bethany this fall semester as a freshman.

Delonn and Valerie are spending the month of July at the School of Missions in Springfield, MO, and ministering in churches - due to arrive on the Bethany campus the first week in August.. They are available for ministry by contacting them at the College, or by e-mail: Delonn.rance@agmd.org.