Barbara Pinkley
Barbara Pinkley’s missionary journey began at a very young age. At seven years old, Barbara was saved and found herself wanting to share with others what Jesus meant to her. And at just ten years old, she began partnering financially with the Steury family. She started serving as a nurse in Burundi in 1980, but when WGM’s missions work there came to an end four years later, she was faced with a decision: did she go to Haiti or to Kenya? Because of her connection with the Steurys, Barbara felt drawn to Kenya. So she moved to the field and served there as a nurse, a midwife, and a teacher for forty years.
One of Barbara’s true passions is hospitality. She loves having people over for meals, and she developed deep relationships with her fellow missionaries at Tenwek. She attributes what she was able to accomplish as a missionary to the support of her ministry partnership team, her Kenyan team members, and the missionaries she worked alongside in Kenya.
After retiring from WGM in June 2021, Barbara knew she wasn’t finished serving others. She began preparing to continue teaching, but in a new capacity: teaching English as a second language. “I once again will have the joy of helping multiply to bring Jesus to new places,” she said, her excitement visible. Her desire to bloom where she’s planted demonstrates the power 2 Timothy 2:2 has had in her life: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (NIV).