Actuary Doing Mission

A WEC Story

How does an actuary from Australia (who can’t dance or hold a rhythm) end up helping in a music studio in Asia? What is an actuary? It is not an accountant! It is not a big bird cage! An actuary deals with risk and uncertainty usually in relation to future cash flows. It means having some knowledge in maths, statistics, accounting, economics and finance. I had worked at helping to determine home insurance prices and the systems and process behind that for about 10 years. Eventually leading a team in doing this which meant I also had experience in people and project management areas.

A couple of years ago my wife and I spent 6 weeks in Asia on a short term mission. We were going to help people setting up various businesses as mission (one of which was a music studio). A big part of what we did was to listen, encourage and ask questions with the intention of helping people take the next step in turning dreams into reality. Using the gifts and talents God has given and the experiences He has led me in professionally I was able to help much more than I had originally expected. These included looking at the financial viability of businesses, understanding the registration, tax and accounting requirements of businesses in that location, as well as discussing business structures and people management possibilities. This trip was a life changing experience. So much so that last year we did it again, for another 6 weeks, even taking our 1 year old with us. For us, it was an amazing discovery of how God uses skills and knowledge acquired from a largely corporate setting for the furthering of His kingdom in another continent!