Introducing Bee Roy, our new Head of Tearfund Scotland! With a heart for justice and a passion for community, Bee brings a wealth of experience from within Tearfund and across wider church ministry.
As we welcome Bee to lead our vision in Scotland, we thought we’d ask her a few questions to help you get to know her better.
Tell us about your background:
‘I’ve always loved church, people, and had a heart for justice. When doing urban outreach with young people in Manchester in my gap year, I first got to see the church as God’s tool to bless others. That’s when he really broke my heart for people living in poverty – those born into different circumstances without the privilege I have. I loved youth work, but wanted more grounding in what I was saying to people about Jesus. So, I went to Edinburgh University to study Divinity. I only applied to Scottish Universities as I knew God had called me to Scotland.
In Edinburgh, I developed a heart for God’s church in Scotland. But I lived with this tension of having a yearning for people in other countries in extreme poverty while also being called to live in Scotland and love the Scottish church. When the opportunity came up to work for Tearfund six years ago, it all made sense. It’s a blessing to both serve his church in Scotland and also people in poverty in other countries.’
Who are you outside of Tearfund?
‘Outside of Tearfund I’m a mummy and a wife. I love family and I’m the youngest of 10 children. So I’m used to being around lots of people and socialising. I love to worship, sing, and be creative. Life often looks like rushing kids out the front door, having playdates, going to the park, and tidying the house. We love our church and the community in Glasgow where we are called to shine Jesus as a family on mission.’
How did you come to faith?
‘I was brought up in a Christian home but there was always a moment the decision had to be mine. As a teenager, I would worry about things outwith my control. Faith was my only hope and every night I would read my Bible and worship God in my bed.’
As someone with dyslexia, I struggled with feeling unintelligent at school, to the point where I would often ask God to heal me of this. But now I thank God for my dyslexia because it gave me a huge determination. If it wasn’t for this, and God speaking to me and developing me, I wouldn’t be a woman in leadership. God has shown me that as a woman, I can lead, love Jesus, and be a present mum to my kids.’
