Chuck is the relationship marketing director, managing connections with churches, organizations and people on the US side of “the bridge” that have a desire to serve and be a part of what is happening on the Kenya side of “the bridge”.

He holds a BS in Electrical and Computer engineering from Clemson University and a Graduate Studies degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. His first trip to Africa was to the country of Tanzania in 1980. It was his first trip out of the south, his first trip out of the country and his first trip on a plane. He was part of a team rebuilding a missionary training facility after the rule of Idi Amin had closed the borders between Uganda and Tanzania. His faith was young and many concepts like being called to a purpose or following God were new to him, but he knew that God had a plan for him to be part of something big in Africa but had no idea what or when. It took another 25 years to return to Africa, this time to South Africa, and the same spark that God had ignited in him 25 years before was once again lit. By this time he was a husband of 19 years and a father of two daughters and one son. He returned to Kenya in 2006 and then again in 2007 as part of the first open trip that The 410 Bridge had. Return trips to Kenya and Uganda over the next couple of years continued to fuel the spark. In 2009, his entire family of five served in Kenya in one of the newest 410 communities called Segera. Two more trips to Kenya and one trip to Zambia later, he was offered an opportunity to join the staff at The 410 Bridge.

After 23 years working in the IT field, 16 of the most recent of those years with Verizon Wireless, prayer clarified the call and desire to serve God by serving the continent of Africa on a full time basis and he joined The 410 Bridge in October 2009. His wife (of 23 years as of this writing) and he share a simple faith that they just want to be on the side of where God is and through prayer, believe that this is where He called them to be. With one daughter in college, one as a senior in high school and his son in the sixth grade they still have questions about what God has called them to do in this season of their lives – but, if they had all the answers, faith wouldn’t be needed! “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” -Martin Luther King, Jr. In the New Testament in Matthew 14, Jesus tells the story that everyone remembers about Peter walking on water.

This is one of Chuck’s favorite stories because he often finds himself sitting on the edge of the boat with his feet hanging over the side. Just enough to touch the water and feel it’s presence but not enough to get the experience of what it is like to walk on the water. Or sometimes he sees himself like the other eleven disciples that don’t get any mention since they are all huddled inside the boat and not even risking as much as Peter did. But Peter, like all Christians, was not called to sit in comfort. He was called out into the waves where Jesus is calling us all. Chuck’s prayer for you is the same that it is for him and his family, not only that God would call you to Himself, and not only that you would swing your legs out over the boat, but that you would step out in faith and trust totally in Him.