‘She was a rock.’ This is how Joan’s son describes his mum. Even in the most difficult times of life, he says she was ‘Still praying, still giving, and always interested in what God was doing in this world.’
Joan and her husband met as medical students during the Second World War. As their own love bloomed, they discovered they shared a deep heart for overseas missions – both longing to share the love of God and help bring transformation to the lives of others all around the world. They had their hopes set on travel to China, but political changes meant that it wasn’t possible for them to pursue that dream.
So, they found another way to make a difference.
Throughout their lives, Joan and her husband gave their prayers and financial support to organisations who were reaching practically into the places that they couldn’t go themselves. Through their faithful giving to charities like Tearfund, they were able to share the life-changing power of God’s love and give people opportunities to step out of poverty and to thrive in communities all around the world.
And Joan’s legacy of helping change lives through God’s love continues still.
Not only was Joan there for her own family during her lifetime, helping to support them and their dreams and visions – including when her son and his wife moved to Pakistan for a time to work with a Tearfund project – but the impact of Joan’s love and great faithfulness continues. The gift she gave to Tearfund in her will is still helping to support other people’s families and children in places all around the world.
The legacy Joan has left extends to people who will never know her name or recognise her face, but whose lives have been transformed because of her. By leaving a gift in her will to Tearfund, Joan has helped provide them, their children and grandchildren with things like the ability to grow climate-proof crops, giving them food and an income. She has helped them to fund and build wells so that they have access to clean water. And she has helped enable them to build schools and ensure their children will have an education that opens doors and opportunities for the future. Joan has helped reach out to others in their times of greatest need and has expressed God’s love for them and to them – reminding them that they are not alone as they face challenges and struggles.
With God’s love, extraordinary change is possible. Like Joan, a gift in your will could transform lives for generations.
