Retired Missionary Biography
Bill and Gail Patch
Served in South Korea for 36 years
Bill got his BA in psychology from Eastern Nazarene College (ENC), his MA in counseling at St. Lawrence University, his M.Spec. in counseling from the University of Rochester. Gail got her BA in English-literature from ENC and her MA in Linguistics at HoseoUniversity in Asan, S. Korea.
We have three married children. Pam is married to David Sandoval. She is a counselor, and he is a policeman. Tonja is married to Raymond DiCamillo. Tonja is a pediatrician, and her husband is a pastor. Kevin is married to Kristin. He is a chef, and she is a speech therapist.
Pam and David have six children, and Tonja and Raymond have three. That means we have nine grandchildren.
At Korea Nazarene University (KNU) Bill and his team chose rehabilitation as their specialty area. KNU became the benchmark for all of the universities to prepare their schools to be user friendly for the various times of disabilities.
Brief description of responsibilities and activities:
For 28 years Bill served as president of the Koreaninstitutions of higher learning which developed from a Bible institute to NazareneUniversity. For the last 2 years on the field, he worked on the region as a consultant for the development of institutions of higher education in Asia-Pacific. Gail continued to teach English at KNU as she had done since 1974. She also served as coordinator for NGLA English Bible study, communication and leadership training groups. We officially retired in July of 2009 after a year of deputation services.
Both of us were first called to missions in a Missions Thrust at ENC. After official retirement, our vision to find young men and women who would be willing to give at least a year of their lives as a tentmaker teacher in the Asia-Pacific Region continued. You can read about Vision 20/20 on the internet. It is a plan to place 500 teachers on the AP region by the year 2020. The primary focus is through education.Bill assisted in that recruitment by visiting the stateside Nazarene colleges and universities for a couple of years. Gail has been assisting KNU in recruitment for their university and for their various English teaching programs such as a cooperation to provide teachers for Cheonan City Schools.
Bill is presently serving as interim pastor for the International English Church of the Nazarene on the Korea Nazarene University campus in S. Korea. We are blessed with nine grandchildren and have been enjoying the opportunity to be hands on grandparents.
Bill and Gail Patch
“Get acquainted facts,” hobbies, gift suggestions, favorite colors, foods, sports, etc.:Our favorite hobby is reading, and we know we will need to keep walking for our health.
We like listening to contemporary Christian music.
Bill’s favorite sport is basketball, while Gail likes football best. We are Pittsburgh Steelers and Boston Celtics fan. We have enjoyed being able to actually see them play on TV this year.
We set up housekeeping in a brand new in-law suite in Ohio. I still love rose and blue even though those are not the popular colors now.
Fun Facts
I really like / Gail really likes playing board games, but Bill doesn’t. We have five grandchildren next door who like to play board games. Bill really likes seafood.
I don’t like / Gail does not like clams, oysters, draw squid, lobster, crab or the like, but Bill loves all of those.
My favorite book, magazine or video / We live in Ohio, but we are getting the Pittsburgh paper sent to us so that we can keep up with PA things…. Bill is reading books for the orientation and training of the 20/20, and I am now reading Foster’s Celebration of Discipline. I like historic Christian novels, and Bill likes Star Trek books for relaxation. His favorite magazine is National Geographic, and mine is Good Housekeeping.
My favorite thing / Playing with our grandchildren. Bill likes to ride his old motorcycle.
My perfect day / Gail’s and Bill’s perfect day is spending time with family or reading.
My favorite hymn / Gail’s favorite hymn is “Oh Can It Be” and “Amazing Grace”. Bill always had the university students and professors which included the hurting, the needy and the disabled sing “Jesus Loves Me,” because he loves us all.
Other comments / Bill has a great sense of humor, and Gail likes to laugh.
See Maranatha Information counter for contact information.
From Bill and Gail Patch
Retired from Serving in South Korea
September, 2010
As you can imagine, our hearts are still in S. Korea. Therefore, we would like to ask you to pray for the 16 teachers who justarrived to teach in the Cheonan City Schools team-teaching program. The teachers are primarily from our Nazarene colleges and universities with 4 from other evangelical Christian colleges. In the changing and rapidly developing culture of S. Korea, the children and young people need Christ and need the friendship and influence of Christian teachers.
Secondly, the second semester has begun at KNU, and we ask that you pray for Dr. Seung-an Im, the president and for the professors, staff and students.
Bill is working with Vision 2020 recruitment. This program is challenging young graduates of our colleges and universities to teach English in the cities of Asia over 1 million. They have had the first OT and workshop for these teachers. He will be blitzing the colleges and universities starting the last week of September.
Please pray for the Korean missionaries and their work with the physically challenged in the Kingdom of Tonga way out in the Pacific Ocean.
Pray for Bill and for me that we might be grandparents that share our vision.
Love and prayer,
Bill and Gail Patch
Prayer Requests
Please pray for KNU in the beginning of a new semester in September.
Please pray for the many foreign English teachers who work at KNU and its affiliates.
Please pray for Bill as he visits to recruit and helps in the orientation and training for the Vision 20/20.
Please pray for Gail as she seeks to find the best teachers to use for the various programs in S. Korea.