My name is Andy Opie and I am living in Bangkok, Thailand. My wife, Christina, and I serve with Foursquare Missions, sharing God’s love with the Thai people in word and deed. I am also the father of a beautiful little girl, Eliana.
We will share the ministry compartment of our life on the ministry page.
My story needs a lot more space than this page, and maybe I will sit down and write it out soon. I have a life touched by the grace of God. I came to know him as a child. I couldn’t tell you the specific time I started this relationship, as I don’t ever remember not knowing our creator. As a child I lived life to the fullest enjoying sports, playing outside and enthusiastically taking to all aspects of life and friendship. I loved sports, playing them, watching and talking about them. In high school, I started working at newspaper writing about sports, even getting to go to the Notre Dame/USC game and watching from the press box the fall after graduating high school.
Out shortly after that, when I was 20 years old, I started to lose my eyesight from Leber’s Optic Neuropathy, a disease that kills the optic nerve. Basically, my eye works normally, but the picture doesn’t get to the brain. It is like a broken cable between the TV and the signal leaving what I see as completely fuzzy. My world was rocked. God was so gracious and close to me in this situation, suffering with me as I walked through the pain. He provided a great family for me to support me, a loving church and good friends. It was not easy. People ask how my faith was affected, and I told them I was shoved into maturity. I grew up fast, and threw my life into God’s hands.
I knew God called me to serve him with all of my life. Now, I felt like my life was broken and couldn’t imagine how that would look. I remember one night while visiting a friend at his youth group, God spoke to me. I said, God you will have to heal me, or you will use me as I am. God has not healed me yet, but He has used me over the past 13 years. I finished Bible College in 4 years after that. I served as youth pastor and now as a missionary in Thailand.
Some things I have done and places of study
* Life Pacific College 98-02
* Youth pastor and associate pastor at New Life Christian Fellowship in Laguna Niguel, CA ’02-07
* LA and San Diego Marathon, March ’07 and June ‘07
* Missionary with Foursquare Missions ’07–present
* Wheaton College for Masters ’10 –present
February 5, 2009 at 6:22 pm
[...] Andy and Tina Opie are a young couple that teach at the WorldBase (check out their blog HERE). They have been so helpful in answering our questions over email, and I’m certain we will quickly become good friends once we’re there. I’ve enjoyed reading their updates, especially when they share stories about the ministry happening in Thailand. Here is one of those stories: Ministry in the “Community” [...]
March 11, 2009 at 11:44 pm
We were happy to read about Andy and his wife Tina and about what God is doing in their lives.We are also happy that Jason and April will have friends such as Andy and Tina.God likes to bring together people of like minds.We will add your names to our list of people to pray for.
March 30, 2009 at 2:37 pm
I love your site. Keep it up !
March 20, 2011 at 8:28 am
Hi, my name is Alexis and im doing a missionary project. The vernons recommended you and i wanted to know if you would be able to help me in any way..?if you cant that’s ok but your time is greatly appricated.
March 20, 2011 at 8:48 am
Alexis,
We would love to help you…thanks for contacting us…
June 22, 2011 at 9:19 pm
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December 27, 2011 at 3:17 pm
Hi, My husband and I have been in missions to the First Nations people of Canada for 9 yrs. He lost his right eye to a detached retina in 2002, and now is losing the rest of his vision. It is a very scary thing. Just asking for some prayer. We are not supported, and now he is wondering how to take care of his family. It will be interesting to see what God does.
December 27, 2011 at 11:47 pm
Wow, I will sure pray.