Celebrating 35+ Years: Glenn and Dorothy Budd

After sensing callings to the mission field at young ages, Glenn and Dorothy embarked on a journey of aviation and church planting in Peru.

From Message magazine issue "Christ in the Crisis"

Glenn and Dorothy Budd have been serving faithfully with ABWE since 1984.

They have spent over three decades in Peru’s coastal cities and mountainous settlements, performing a variety of ministries: church planting, discipleship, counseling, pastoral training, aviation, and co-founding a pregnancy care center. Glenn and Dorothy were recognized as Bomm Award recipients at the 2019 Missionary Enrichment Conference for their 35 years of service.

Q: How did God first call you to missions?

A: (Glenn) When I was eight years old, I responded to the challenge of doing missions as a career at a Christian camp. I also loved aviation, so I naturally wanted to be a missionary pilot. I read many books on missionary pilots like Nate Saint.

(Dorothy) Growing up in a Christian home, I was exposed to missionaries at an early age. The calling to become a missionary came about with one small thing after another. My parents were encouraging of it, and my grandmother gave me an influential book on missions work in India. That calling was affirmed in my teenage years and throughout college.

Q: What was the best part being a missionary?

A: The most wonderful thing is when someone who we’ve been ministering to finally understands the gospel and asks us how to be saved. People don’t just simply walk up and ask this question. It only happens after devoting time and sharing love with them. Seeing them go on to assume a leadership role in the future or disciple someone else is extremely rewarding.

Q: What had the biggest impact on your ministry?

A: The power of prayer has played the biggest part in our ministry. We always had people praying for Glenn’s safety as he flew near the terrorists in the early years [Shining Path, a revolutionary communist party that persecuted Peruvian villages and cities through guerrilla warfare], for our son’s health when he suffered from typhoid fever and hepatitis, and for the many specific Peruvians who are now saved.

Q: What is your favorite memory from the field?

A: We loved mentoring a boy named Davy, a Peruvian national. He is like a brother to our three children who grew up with him. Watching him grow up, become saved, and mature in his faith to the point of becoming co-pastor of our church plant is awesome. To us, Davy is the equivalent of Paul’s Timothy.

There was also a priest in one of the mountain villages named Eloy, whom I [Glenn] had witnessed to for years. At first, he was opposed to my evangelism efforts, calling down curses on me and the airplane. He even falsely accused me of being a drug runner. However, our relationship strengthened when one of our missionaries treated Eloy for a shoulder injury. Just before he died, I was able to share the gospel with him one last time, and Eloy accepted it. He passed away in my arms soon after.

Q: What advice would you give someone considering missions?

A: Let trials and difficulties do their work. We must allow them to mold us; otherwise, we will miss out on how God is using them for our good and his glory. Also, a person usually doesn’t come to salvation until you’ve established a personal relationship with them first. Friendships are so important! We have a saying in Peru: They won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. I think that is universally true.

Q: How has COVID-19 affected your ministry perspective?

A: When we first heard we could not go back to Peru [the Budds are quarantining in Texas], we struggled with feeling useless. And now there is uncertainty if we will be able to go back in October. But having to stay in the States has given us more time to invest in Peruvians through technology. We are trusting in God’s timing, taking everything day by day.