Les and Mary Anne Harris

Les and Mary Anne Harris live in Seminole, Florida where Les is a coordinator for AIM's Adopt-A-People project as well as promoting the work around the U.S. and making regular trips to Chad to teach in the training school. Les will be learning a new responsibility to add to his work as Donor Coordinator. This new work will involve visiting AIM missionaries' supporting churches.

The door to Chad remains open in spite of several attempts to persuade the government to declare it an Islamic state. The training of national missionaries continues with the goal of reaching the many unevangelized tribes of Chad and Central Africa.

Mary Anne teaches Good News Clubs, chapels at Christian Schools, a ladies Sunday School class and missions prayer group at church, as well as translating a booklet on James into Pazande.

Les and Mary Anne serve under Africa Inland Mission in the country of Central African Republic. They have 3 daughters, Myra, Sharon, and Sarah. Les and Mary Anne, both of missionary families, were reared in Belgian Congo.

Les and Mary Anne met in 6th grade missionary school. They were separated during high school and college but were reunited and married at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga in 1965. Both Les and Mary Anne taught Bible in the public schools while Mary Anne completed her degree in elementary education at the university here.

They applied to and were accepted by AIM in 1966. At that time a large Sudanese refugee camp was opening in the Central African Republic and they responded to the need.

During their second term, Mary Anne's parents joined them at Mboki and assisted in starting a Bible school among the Zandes with a goal of reaching the refugees for Christ. During eight years every hut was reached and the Sudanese heard God's Word, resulting in six little churches being formed among them. In 1974 all of these people were taken back to Sudan. After preparing all materials for a 4-year Bible school in the Zande and Sango languages, the Harrises desired to reach out to the graduates in an effort to encourage them. A tape ministry was the result and provided a personal link to pastors and churches. Tape players run by hand crank or battery were distributed to all 54 churches and grass chapels. Solar panels now give power to some players.

Currently they, make their home in Seminole, FL, and travel the U.S. promoting the work and keeping up with the work in Central African Republic.

They have 3 daughters, Myra, Sharon, and Sarah who are all married and have given Les and Mary Anne 6 grandchildren.