Betsy Olson

Born to missionary parents and raised in Ecuador, South America, Betsy Olson is excited to be back again on the mission field. As a short-term missionary with Mission Aviation Fellowship, she will teach the elementary grades at Peningki Hill School in Tarakan, Indonesia. Through the years, teaching has been her love and passion, and she has spent all her life as a teacher in one capacity or another.

However, nothing is more important to her than her personal relationship with her Savior, Jesus Christ. That relationship started at a very early age when Betsy came to understand that God doesn’t have any grandchildren. She couldn’t get to heaven on her parents’ coattails but had to personally trust Christ’s death on the cross as a payment for her sins to become a part of God’s family. That personal relationship with the living Christ has grown through the years, sustaining her through the lonely days away from her parents in boarding school and later in college back in the USA.

God strengthened her through the busy years of classroom teaching and guided her in the choice of a godly husband. He was there during the busy years of homeschooling their four children, and most recently, upheld her in His mighty arms through the death of her husband. Betsy has clung to God’s promise in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Betsy has enjoyed teaching all ages whether it be in the elementary classroom, over 20 years as a homeschool mom, Vacation Bible School and Cubbies at church, piano lessons, homeschool co-op, or many years of tutoring. However, as important as academics is, of even greater consequence is grounding the students in the truth of God’s Word and through it instilling godly character in their lives. Betsy desires to do this, with God’s help, at Peningki Hill School as well!