Christiana: When did you first become interested in becoming a foreign missionary?
As a young teen I had an interest in missions and felt the desire to be a 
missionary.  Our church supported and prayed for a missionary family in China, and one in Japan, and that sparked my interest.  My desire to tell others about 
our Lord Jesus resulted in teaching a Bible class for children in our church, and 
also helping in Bible School work. 
 

Christiana: Was there any particular verse that the lord gave you in regard to His calling?
The Bible verse that inspired me was the Great Commission: "Go ye therefore, 
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have 
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." 
 

Christiana: Please tell me about your family.
My parents are Christians, so they regularly took us to church meetings.  They 
also taught us strong moral values.  I was thirteen years old when my baby 
brother was born, and I have a brother four years younger whom I delighted in teaching Bible stories. 

My cousin and I encouraged each other in the Lord, and often we would visit 
the elderly and read and pray with them. 
 

Christiana: How did you meet your husband?
We had a Bible class every week in our high school, and the Bible teacher 
introduced me to my future husband, (Harold) who was visiting that day. 
About two weeks later Harold preached at our church, and my mother invited 
him to dinner.  We continued seeing each other and enjoyed discussing spiritual 
things.  He also was interested in missions, and before we were engaged to be 
married, we discussed the matter of becoming missionaries. 

After being married about nine years and in the Lord's work together, we felt a 
burden to go to the Philippines.  We then had three children, ages two, four and six. 
 

Christiana: What was your first impression of the Philippines?
I think my first impression of the Philippines was the intense heat, and the 
poverty of the people.  I was impressed by their acceptance of us, since they 
are loving and hospitable people.  Also I loved those big luscious mangoes 
which were in season when we arrived. 

We stayed in Manila, for three weeks with a missionary family, who we had 
known before.  So while Harold and his fellow worker Victor were out traveling and preaching, Mae, Victor's wife, took me to the market, and taught me a lot 
of practical things.  Soon we had our own home in a different part of Manila, 
and I began to put these things into practice.  Two Filipino young ladies lived 
with us, and attended the Bible Training Institute.  This gave us an opportunity 
to study their customs more closely. 
 

Christiana: What was your home like?
We only lived in this house (which was quite modern) for on e year, and then 
Victor and Mae went home on furlough.  We moved into their place which in 
years past had been the governor's house, and was very large.  It consisted of 
our apartment, a boys dorm (we were involved with the Bible Institute) and our Chapel.  Needless to say, this was Grand Central Station, and I had a lot to 
learn, fast! 

About three years, and two more children later, we moved to the town of San 
Jose on Mindoro Island, to open a Bible Training School, and to do evangelistic work.  Mindoro was a very undeveloped island, and we only had electricity in 
the evening and night.  We used a kerosene refrigerator, and bottled gas stove. 
 

Christiana: What were your days like?
I began home schooling our three oldest children, who had previously attended Faith Academy in Manila.  This is a school for missionary children and I would say it has seven hundred or more students today. 

My mornings were occupied with this and the afternoons were spent in visitation, study and teaching the ladies class. 

The hardest part of living on this island was we were the only American's there, and I had been used to lots of them in Manila. 
 

Christiana: I have heard that one of the hardest things for people to get used to is the food.  What was the food like for you?
The food there was similar to ours, and we enjoyed fresh pineapple, mangoes, and papaya.  All of our family enjoyed Philippine cooking.  I can't say that I was ever offered anything to eat, and couldn't eat it, except one time, I was pregnant and having morning sickness, when I was offered a place of fried locust (like grasshoppers).  I could not have eaten anything at the time, so my hostess was very gracious and not offended. 
 

Christiana: What were Mr. Preston's days like?
Harold was the pilot of our mission plane, and we flew to Manila quite often.  Especially when we were sick, we could get to Manila quickly to see the doctor.  We had a good doctor who had been trained in Cincinnati, Ohio, but without electricity he was hindered in doing tests, etc. 

Harold also flew many mercy flights for Filipinos, and other missionaries.  Most of all the plane made it possible to go many places to preach the Gospel. 
 

Christiana: Please tell us a little about the people.
The people were warm and outgoing.  They also loved to study God's Word.  We went there for life, but after eight years, had to return because of my health.  We visited there in 1995-1996 and would love to work there again.  Right now we do not see our way clearly. 
 

Christiana: What would be your advice for any woman who feels the Lord is calling her to foreign missions?
Any young lady who feels called to the mission field can now be involved in teaching Sunday School, Bible clubs, and witnessing to their friends.  The Lord will lead you step by step.  He doesn't lead us all in the same way, but if we're not working here, we won't be any different on the mission field.  Just keep studying God's word, and maintain a close relationship with Him, and He will lead you where He wants you to go.  You can also correspond with other missionaries and learn about their work.  Also CMML in New Jersey offers a program every June for Perspective missionaries, where they can listen to and talk with other missionaries, and learn all they can about mission work. 
 

Christiana: Thank you very much for taking time to talk to us.  May God bless you as you continue to serve Him.
 

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