Ray & Else Cousins

Ray was born in Orange NSW, Australia, in a church-going family. It wasn’t until he was 28, after moving to Sydney for business reasons, that he heard a clear gospel message and accepted Christ as his personal Saviour. Wanting to learn more about the Lord, he got involved in Bible studies and began to look for other opportunities in which to get involved.

Else, who was born in Holland, came to Australia as a child and was raised in a nominal Catholic family. She always enjoyed going to church, but was not aware that a personal decision was involved in being a Christian until after meeting Ray, who shared Christ with her. After Else became a believer, they began to seek God’s direction for them as a couple.

Married in 1972, Ray and Else entered New Tribes Mission Bible College in 1976 with the intention of opening a Christian bookshop, yet conscious of the need to help others. While there, they were challenged to go to Papua New Guinea (PNG) as missionaries themselves. By this time they had three young children.

During the following 20 years with NTM, Ray and Else worked in various support ministries in PNG as dorm parents, government reps and as supply buyers. During their third furlough, they were asked to remain in Australia to oversee Summit—NTM’s short-term missions programme. Else later worked in the finance department. They resigned from the Mission for health reasons in 2001.

Moving to the Central Coast and getting involved in their local church was a time of getting back on track health wise. Then, after five years, they began looking for a new ministry.  They show continual interest in working with local ministry.

Else enjoys being Grandma to her nine grandchildren, being available to help with babysitting when needed and spends as much time as possible in the ministry.

Someone asked Ray, “Why do you want to get back into ministry again; why not leave it to someone younger?” His response was, “Yes, there are a lot of younger people but they are not taking up the challenge, so we will do it while God enables us.”

Ray and Else are now retired and keeping busy with Grandchildren and local ministry.