We're the Sanders.

Our Story

BJ and I fell in love on the beaches of Florida!  After 3 years of long distance, we tied the knot in 2008.  A year later, we felt like the Lord was leading us to train for overseas missions with New Tribes Mission.  Did you know that there are over 2,000 people groups that have never heard the name of Jesus and don’t have any Bibles or Christians? Missionaries with New Tribes Mission minister among these people groups by learning their languages and cultures, teaching them about Christ, giving them God’s Word, and planting churches that will plant other churches.

Our family completed four years of pre-field training and moved to Papua New Guinea in January 2014.  We will be ministering among an unreached people group called Wantakia in order to see them come to Christ and grow into maturity!

BJ's Story

I grew up in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the youngest of 4 boys.  I got picked on a lot, but I quickly learned how to dish it back!  I loved playing basketball, and I followed in my dad’s footsteps by learning how to play the guitar!  I went off to the University of Arkansas in 2004, and graduated in 2008 with a BA in Cultural Anthropology.  2 weeks later, I married Jill!  I spent one year in the oil and gas industry before Jill and I decided to be missionaries.

Jill's Story

I grew up in the great state of Oklahoma!  I am also the baby of the family, with an older brother and an older sister.  Most of my time spent as a youth was either doing gymnastics, cheerleading, or going to church.  When it was time to go to college, there was no other place to go except for the University of Oklahoma (Boomer Sooner!)  I graduated with a BA in Elementary Education in December of 2007.  In May, 2008, I married the love of my life and dragged him to Norman, Oklahoma!  I was blessed to be able to teach 16 5th graders for a year, before we started our missionary training.