David and Judy Newquist

Missionaries to Taiwan

David and Judy Newquist are both from Christian families. They were brought up to trust and obey the Lord, and this included much awareness of worldwide mission. Both were committed to finding and following God’s will. Their paths crossed in high school at Prairie Bible Institute, diverged to Wheaton and Westmont Colleges, and were rejoined by the Lord on December 17, 1966, in the first year of David’s long career as a graduate student in physics. They developed close friendships with several graduate students from Taiwan.

From childhood, Judy felt attracted to foreign mission. David first began to think of it as a possible option during graduate school, when he heard of opportunities for university teaching in OMF fields. In those countries Christians are far fewer than in the U.S., and there are very few who can tell young people how to deal with purported conflicts between science and faith in God.

Judy’s parents, Rev. and Mrs. Will Bruce, were with OMF in the Philippines, so David and Judy already understood and appreciated OMF. When they felt led toward missions, OMF was the natural first choice. As for location of service, they left that up to OMF, and the recommendation was—Taiwan! They arrived there in 1976, and in 1981 became part of the Tunghai University physics department in Taichung. They moved into faculty housing on campus, where they have lived ever since.

David has taught physics, astronomy, atmospheric science, and a course on science and faith, which in 1996 was published as a book in Chinese. It is available in English online at www.ibri.org .

As part of the university community, under the direction of the chaplain and church, they minister to students, faculty families, and graduates, through hospitality, counseling, Bible studies and teaching. Judy especially enjoys outreach to the elementary school. She took advisory care of our OMF children in Taiwan from 1996 to 2005.

Dave and Judy expect to return to Taiwan in 2006. On this home assignment, they are based in Kearney, Nebraska, in the home David’s father left them, Their children grew up in Taiwan. Jonathan and his wife Rebekah were married March 29, 2005, and he graduated from college in May. They now live in New Zealand where he is working. Jeannie graduated from Columbia International University in 2004, and is now an assistant at the OMF headquarters in the short-term program.