Kristi Amstutz, ELL (K-8)

Kristi grew up on a farm in the great midwestern state of Iowa.  Her parents served in Brazil as a young married couple and were greatly influenced by other missionaries.  The result of that influence caused her parents to raise their children with an awareness and support of missionaries and their work.  Now Kristi is serving on the mission field with the support of her parents and siblings' families.

She graduated with a BA in Counseling from Grace College.  She also has her teaching certification from Taylor University in Elementary Education and her endorsement in English as a Second Language (K-12) from William Penn University. 

Kristi has experience teaching in both ESL and bilingual classrooms in Iowa and Indiana.  She also has experience living overseas when she took a break from college and did missions in Spain and Mexico.

Lisa Bartels, HS English/Modern Language

Lisa grew up in Indiana and asked Jesus into her heart during Vacation Bible School when she was 5 years old.  The focus of the VBS was missions, and the Lord drove this message into Lisa's heart.  From that time on, Lisa prayed and prepared for the Lord to send her to the mission field.

Lisa graduated from Wheaton College in 1997 with a degree in French and Spanish.   While her new husband Mike served his 4 year Army commitment, Lisa completed a teaching certificate and taught in public schools.  The Bartels family joined Wycliffe in 2002.  They spent a term in Cameroon, Africa before arriving at Faith Academy in 2008.  

Lisa is mother to 3 lovely children, Maggie, Ryan, and Grace.  She plans to complete her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Indiana Wesleyan University in April, 2009.

Mike Bartels, HS Social Studies/Athletic Director

 Mike grew up in Minnesota, but spent 2 years living overseas and attending an international school as a teenager.

He graduated from Wheaton College in 1998 with a BA in History and is licensed to teach middle and high school. He also met his wife Lisa in College. From 1998-2002 Mike served in the US Army.

 Mike and Lisa joined Wycliffe Bible Translators in 2002 and Mike served as an administrator in Central Africa until 2006. Since January 2008 he has been teaching history and social studies at MICA/Faith Academy Mindanao. Mike and Lisa have 3 young children: Maggie, Ryan, and Grace.

 Nathan Becker, Instrumental Music  

 Nate was raised in eastern and mid-west United States in a godly home with three siblings. He majored in music education at Taylor University in Indiana, majoring in piano and minoring in trumpet, class of 2002. After that, he taught music and a little special education in Indianapolis public schools for two years.

 At this stage, Nate was interested in pursuing education in more of a missions and international setting. He heard about Wycliffe Bible Translators, his mission organization, originally through the tri-annual Urbana Missions Conference. Later, he learned that there was a need to build a music and band program at Faith Academy Mindanao. That year of 2004, just before he came to the Philippines, Nate met his wife Jessica. They were married in 2005 and now have two young children, both boys; Elijah and Malachi.Nate has taught at Faith Mindanao for more than five years. He has taught music in all grade levels, K-12, general music as well as instrumental and choral; but his focus has been band and instrumental music. He has also taught Bible classes, worship team, middle school outdoor education trips, and overseer of some school chapels. Nate and Jessica are grateful to God for many wonderful years of serving at Faith Academy. 

Birney Boyd, HS English/Journalism/Art/Drama

  

Nancy Boyd, Grade 1

 

Anna Ingerman, Kindergarten

Anna was born in Indonesia, of Dutch parents. Her father was the gas engineer in Jakarta. Later they also lived in Bandung, where Anna began school. Her father got polio, so they moved to Australia, rather than return to Holland. Anna was 6 - an ESL student!
In her first year of teaching she became a Christian. She says, "I couldn't believe anything so wonderful could happen to me!" She has taught since age 19, mostly in Public schools, but also in her church’s pre-school and at Bible College (Christian Ed.); so 4 year-olds to adults! She was on the pastoral team in her Sydney church for several years, also. Bible College opened up the whole world of Missions! Anna taught in PNG, at Ukarumpa, and Madang at Jungle Camp (K–8th). The last 15 years have been in the Philippines; at Bagabag, then Nasuli (K-8th), and teaching Grammar to Koreans. In Davao she teaches elementary music and does creative writing with 1st grade.  Hobbies - past: reading, athletics, swimming, hockey, volleyball, backyard cricket and piano-playing (by ear!).Hobbies - present: reading, piano-playing (still by ear!), digital photography. 
 

Micah Stevenson, HS English/Social Studies/PE

Micah has taught social studies, science, Bible, EFL, and physical education in the Middle School and the High School at Faith Academy Mindanao.

Micah and Rachel are also involved with after school activities including Crosswalk (an after-school youth group), sports teams, a writing group, improvisation club, rhythm troupe, school events and intramurals.  They are members of their local Filipino church and look for ways to get involved with more ministries in their spare time, including basketball outreach, hospital visits, and food distribution.

Alan Farlin, Principal

Alan spent his childhood moving. He went to the University of Nebraska at Kearney for a Bachelor in Science in Education, endorsement in Mathematics and later earned an MA in Education from UNK in Educational Administration and an M.A. in Education from Azusa Pacific University in Leadership.

After teaching in Nebraska for 8 years, he and his family served at Faith Academy as Computer and Math Teacher. Since then he has served at Lincoln Christian, Hillcrest International School in Indonesia Minden Public in Nebraska.

In 1999, he returned to the Philippines to found the Mindanao International Christian Academy (MICA), an MK high school. In July 2005, he returned to Faith Academy as the Principal in Davao. Alan and his wife, Delores have four children (Shannon, Rachel, Daniel, and Angela).

Shannon Farlin, HS Math/Science/HS Lead Teacher

Shannon has lived overseas for half of her life. She grew up in three different places, Nebraska in the US, Manila in the Philippines, and Irian Jaya in Indonesia.

Shannon studied to become a 7-12 math and physics teacher at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

She is currently in her seventh year in Davao, loves teaching TCKs, and misses them during school breaks.

 Jim Frederick, HS Bible/Math

Jim grew up in Colorado and obtained a BS degree in Mathematics from Colorado State University in 1967. He then attended graduate school at the University of Nebraska, where he earned an MS in Computer Science. During that time he met his wife Cora and they had two children, David and Jenny.

After serving two years in the US Navy, Jim worked for Rockwell International and Martin Marietta as a computer specialist. But in 1981, the Lord called Jim and Cora to serve with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Southern California for 21 years. During that time Jim served in various capacities in the area of computers but Cora was limited mostly to prayer ministry due to her battle with Multiple Sclerosis.

After Cora's death in 2001, Jim served as computer director for New Hope International from 2002 until 2005. Then, in the spring of 2005, the Lord clearly directed Jim to change careers and serve as a teacher through Wycliffe Associates. He came to Davao in July of that year and has been teaching math and Bible classes since that time.

Jeong Me (Kris) Lee, Korean Coordinator

Kris majored in Early Childhood Education in South Korea. After graduation she taught and ran Kindergarten for three years before marrying Paul in 1992. Paul and Kris served some churches before arriving in Davao, Philippines in 1994.

From 1997 to 2004, Kris worked with Paul as a church planter and taught children in Muslim areas and churches in Mindanao. Presently, Paul directs the Center for Southeast Asian Muslim Studies. In 2003, she earned a Bachelor in Elementary Education and studied an MA in Education (Guidance and Counseling) in Ateneo de Davao University. Kris completed a TESOL course at Asia’s Center for TESOL in the Philippines in 2004.

During her sabbatical leave she studied and graduated from the University of Birmingham, England with an MA in Education (TEFL) in 2006. She is currently working on a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from Ateneo de Davao University. In 2006, she began working as a Korean studies coordinator and has taught Korean culture and history. Kris and Paul have two children, both attending Faith Academy Mindanao (JinSil and HeonYoung).

Reggie Miller, MS Bible/SS/Library/Art

Moonhong Park, Korean Heritage Program

  

Eunhee Cho, Korean Heritage Program

Steve St. Clair, MS Social Studies/Bible

Steve is known for investing his life and heart into the lives of MKs. He received his Bachelor's Degree from South East Missouri State College with endorsements in Social Studies, History, and PE. He also holds a Masters Degree in School Administration from Southern Illinois University.

He has been a staff member at Faith Academy since 1967. His servant heart has had him valuably and successfully filling many roles at the school in Manila and here in Davao, including: dorm parent, transportation supervisor, coach for wrestling, soccer, basketball, cross country, and track, athletic director, teaching Bible, Social Studies, History, and PE for Middle and High School, serving as Middle School Principal in Manila and Grades 1-8 Principal in Davao. Steve and his wife, Dottie, have three grown children (Fritz, Christina and Beth).

Janet Templin, Grade 5/MS Lead Teacher

Janet is a native Californian, having grown up in Hemet, CA. She trusted Christ as her Savior at sixteen and began her journey with the Lord. From early on, she had a passion for ministry.

She spent the next 25 years as an Air Force wife and the mother of four wonderful children. In 1982, she graduated from University of California, Riverside (Liberal Studies Major, and English, Science, History minors as well as a Reading Concentration.) She earned a Teaching Credential at UCR in 1983.

For the next twenty years it was her privilege to teach school in the Jurupa Unified School District in Riverside, California. In 1998, she received a Masters of Science, Education from California Baptist University, Riverside. She began a new adventure in 2000, supervising/coaching/mentoring candidates in the Credential Program for California State University, San Bernardino, California Baptist University, National University, San Bernardino, and Azusa Pacific University. In 2003, she became the Multiple Subjects Credential Coordinator and a professor for Azusa Pacific University. 

She is presently teaching at Faith Academy in the Philippines. God has given her the desires of her heart.

Mark Willis, ELL (9-12)/Guidence Counslor 

 Mark was born and raised in the Atlanta, GA area, the third of six children.  He became a Christian at the age of 20 and his interest in world missions grew steadily after that. 

He became a member of Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1987 and did Bible translation work among one of the Mayan groups in Guatemala.  He also served with Wycliffe in Peru.  

 Mark met his wife, Celina, in Guatemala where they were married in 1991.  They have one daughter, Ana Elizabeth, who was born in 1995.

  Ruth Graybill, Grade 5

 Joy Manda, Grade 4

Jan Rommen, Grade 3

 Cherry may Frederick/Physical Education 

Jim Adrian, MS Math/Computer/Acting Business Manager

Stephanie Eng, Grade 2

Brian Schwartz, Facilities Manager

Inho Park, IT Administration