By Natalie Holsten
“My mission field is the students and their parents,” said teacher Katherine Mosher. Katherine has taught missionary kids for seven years with MAF, serving at Hillcrest International School (HIS) in Sentani, Indonesia, and its satellite school in Wamena.
Raised by Christian parents in Snoqualmie, Washington, Katherine had an early interest in missions after her small church sent out a couple for overseas ministry. “I remember them coming back and telling us about it. I remember thinking, wow, that’s amazing they could go out from this small church and do something important.”
Katherine didn’t set out to become a teacher, but after getting her undergraduate degree in English and history, she accepted a one-year assignment to Korea to serve as an ESL teacher. The year in Korea helped her realize that teaching was a natural fit.
After obtaining a master’s degree in teaching, Katherine taught in Washington state public schools for six years before heading back overseas, first in Papua, Indonesia, with MAF, then to Brazil, then back to Papua in 2017. During her teaching career, she’s taught math, history, language arts, and served as a librarian.
While Katherine loves the “lightbulb moments” when her students grasp a new concept or master a new skill, she also finds great fulfillment in serving as a mentor for her students.
“While I’m teaching, I’m also mentoring,” she shared. “Kids need people who are there for them.” When parents know their kids are being taught and mentored, Katherine explained, it helps them have longevity on the mission field.
Katherine has found those mentoring opportunities through activities like Outdoor Education (OE), when the entire high school at HIS heads to a remote village for two weeks of work projects, Bible study, and anthropology studies.
“It’s a watershed moment for kids,” Katherine said. “Kids can be like, ‘This is why my parents are here.’ You know this world exists, but not until you really get into it. Going to the villages, it’s eye opening both on a sociological level and spiritual level.”
Katherine said OE gets kids out of their comfort zone. “You’re sleeping on the floor, going on long hikes. I tell them, if I can make it, you can make it!”
Now as she is raising support to return to Papua, Katherine says she is “giving people the opportunity to contribute to the work of Christ.” If you are interested in joining Katherine’s support team, you can learn more at maf.org/mosher.
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Story appeared in FlightWatch Vol. 1, 2022. Read the full issue here: