Q&A with Joe Taylor, HIM Missionary
Q: How long have you been missionaries for HIM?
A. Since 1994. Sixteen years as of January 1, 2010.
Q: What was your previous mission experience?
A. I spent about three years in PNG as a teenager with my parents beginning the last few days of 1970. Gay, our children, and I went back to PNG and served as missionaries with the Bible Missionary Church from 1987 to 1990. Gospel Publishing Mission was organized in 1990. January 1, 1994, we associated with FEA Ministries.
Q: What did you miss most about living in the United States?
A. Family and friends, smooth roads and conveniences.
Q: How was the food and how did that differ from what you were used to?
A. The food was good. Some of it was different, but the type of food really wasn't an issue.
Q: Did you face any extra dangers living in a foreign country?
A. Yes, in lawlessness and health issues. There was danger of occasional robberies and of being "held-up" on the road, etc. Health related, there was hepatitis, malaria, and other typical tropical diseases.
Q: What is your best memory from your time living and ministering in PNG?
A. We have many wonderful memories. As a family, we made "new traditions" to help overcome loneliness and because some things were just not available. One especially nice memory was a couple of visits from Gay's dad and one from her brother. Ministry related – times of victory and having our children see God answer specific prayers and meet definite needs. For example, providing housing in an "impossible" situation and healing our daughter Joanna from reoccurring bouts of malaria.
Q: How did your time on the field prepare you for challenges in Gospel Publishing Mission?
A. The years in PNG helped us to learn to trust God when we were away from all sources of human help. We learned that God is trustworthy! The only question of trustworthiness lies in us.
Q: What are your future plans for GPM?
A. Every nation has not received and understood the Good News. So we will continue publishing and distributing the Gospel message around the world until the job is complete. Our short-term goal is to publish four new titles each year. Our longer-term goal is to publish 12 new titles each year with at least one of them being a million-copy book.
