Learning To Receive And Give

Gathering a partnership team to become Wycliffe missionaries was radical for Theresa and Phil Foxworth. They both grew up in families that emphasized self-sufficiency. Phil says, "We were taught to work to support yourself and take care of your family. It was a big change to ask others for help. We had to learn to receive as well as give."

Over their 40-year career as missionaries, the Foxworths watched God meet every need through the help of their partnership team made up of churches, families, businesses and individuals.

As they neared retirement, Phil and Theresa wanted to look into ways they could use their finances and estate to spread God's Word in the future. Theresa says, "What we have belongs to God. We want to honor him with what he's entrusted to us. Our legacy goal is to provide a strong testimony of love for Jesus and his Word and a desire for others to come to know him."

In order to achieve those goals, the Foxworths met with David Davies, a gift planning advisor with the Wycliffe Foundation. Dave helped them consider estate design options so they'd be ready to complete their new estate plan with a Christian estate planning attorney. The Foxworths also learned how to establish a missionary partnership plan to continue their partnership with fellow Wycliffe missionaries both now and beyond their lifetime. Phil says, "We didn't know where to turn for help. Dave provided us with information and educated us on the possibilities. He sat down with us and helped us think through everything. We were quite amazed with what God provided."

"We have a plan to provide for our needs, help our kids with current gifts and make a special planned gift to Bible translation," Theresa says. "We depended on God to provide through others [for our ministry]; it's a privilege to do that now for others working in Bible translation. God has been so faithful to us, and we want to testify to that with our resources."

If you would like to learn more about advancing Bible translation through a Missionary Partnership Plan or another gift-planning option, please contact the Wycliffe Foundation at 877-493-3600 or email [email protected].

The names have been changed to respect privacy.