Ellen’s Bio
Storyteller, Speaker, Photographer, World Traveler
A gifted storyteller and speaker, Ellen has a unique global perspective that captivates people, in person and through her powerful writing. Propelled by her belief in the transformative power of individuals, Ellen is an accomplished author of four influential nonfiction books: The Power of One, Africa’s Soul Hope (also in Spanish), From the Ends of the Earth, and World Changers. She has been published in multiple magazines and periodicals, and is a contributing writer in various other books. Ellen was the founding editor of NCM Magazine for an international non-profit. It is now in its 21st year.
Ellen is a conservative, purpose-driven, resourceful, and highly organized leader. She has volunteered with programs in Africa that feed orphans, tutor at-risk students, prevent human-trafficking, and serve those suffering from HIV-AIDS and their families. She has led mission teams, actively participating in planting churches, JESUS Film showings, speaking, and children’s ministries in multiple nations.
Ellen has lived in six countries on three continents and visited 33 countries. She grew up speaking three African languages and later learned German. A child of missionaries, Ellen’s life has been deeply shaped by growing up in Eswatini (Swaziland), Africa. Her latest literary work is Diary of a Third-Culture Kid: Missions, Miracles, and Mischief in the Last Kingdom of Africa, a compelling first book in her trilogy.
Ellen’s Life Bible Verse:
“I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” Acts 20:24
One of Ellen’s favorite Quotes:
“We are all pencils in the hand of a writing God, who is sending love letters to the world.”
Mother Teresa (Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu), 1910-1997
Ellen sold her first magazine article at 14, married at 18, and earned her B.A. at 19. Her first professional speaking engagement was at 17 in western Massachusetts; her second later that year in Washington, D.C. Since that time, she has spoken hundreds of times in venues across the United States as well as Uganda, Cuba, South Africa, Eswatini, Canada, Zambia and Tanzania. She delivers a unique perspective on life, global missions, and facing challenges through an incisive combination of profound gospel truth, humor, and evocative stories about life as a Third-Culture Kid (TCK).
Whenever she travels, Ellen usually has her camera around her neck, always looking for the perfect shot. Her photos are a visual tour of the various countries and states she and her husband Hank have lived in during their 40+ years of marriage. Together they have three married sons and nine grandchildren (one in heaven), and the rest involved in evangelical Christian churches. Ellen will gleefully ride any rollercoaster her grandkids pick!
Our most recent trip back “home”
We went to Eswatini in June 2024 to attend a very special wedding and to visit friends. As we were heading home, we stopped in Kruger National Park in South Africa for two days to celebrate our 43rd Anniversary. We were at the same camp—and standing by the same hut—that we stayed in exactly 40 years ago on our 3rd anniversary. What an amazing blessing to be there and have the opportunity to reflect on God’s faithfulness over our lifetime together. It hasn’t always been easy—in fact, at times incredibly challenging—yet He has always led us with His presence and grace, and we are thankful.
An excerpt from Diary of a Third-Culture Kid, Chapter 4
Winnie the Pooh was made famous by the story, The Wrong Sort of Bees. “First of all,” Pooh said to himself, “That buzzing noise means something. You don’t get a buzzing noise like that, just buzzing and buzzing without meaning. If there’s a buzzing noise, someone is making that buzzing noise. And the only reason for making a buzzing noise that I know of is because you’re a bee.” Then he thought for a very long time. “And the only reason for being a bee is…honey!”
We are mystified when an amber liquid begins rolling down our bedroom wall.
“Alvinah, do you know what this is?”
Brave Alvinah sticks her finger in and tastes it. Her face brightens. “Luju! It is honey!”
That night Mom senses something and lights a candle. She discovers bees in the room. Two are crawling on my blanket. The faint humming sound we’ve been hearing for weeks is not just the bats in the crawl space. It is thousands of bees creating beeswax. Now the dripping honey has created a hole for bees to squeeze through the ceiling.
Very soon it becomes intolerable.
One day there are so many bees in the bedroom we cannot take our naps. Dad buys a can of DOOM. He strides into the bedroom and shuts the door. He takes a deep breath and holds it while he whirls around, unleashing the entire can of spray in that little room. Racing out, he slams the door and gulps for breath. Later when he enters to clean up the bees, he counts 293 corpses. Yet he is utterly dismayed to hear the urgent, resentful buzzing of many bees still above the ceiling.
We have the wrong sort of bees. African honeybees are aggressive. European honeybees send out less than twenty guard bees, but if African honeybees feel threatened, hundreds of guard bees will swarm. Each bee has five eyes. All four of their wings beat 11,400 strokes per minute. They can fly up to fifteen miles per hour. We cannot outrun them. A full-sized colony contains 60,000 bees.
Only 59,707 to go…
For more about Diary of a Third-Culture Kid click here.
