ERNIE & KAREN RICHARDS

We met at a missionary training institute for New Tribes Mission in Jackson, Michigan, the summer of 1987, and were married less than a year later. At that time, we were both committed to heading overseas in a church planting ministry, but God had other plans. Mission leadership said we could best serve NOT by going to Africa, but to Wisconsin to take over the mission’s radio outreach, because of Ernie’s training and nearly 9 years’ experience in professional radio.

After a year and a half of producing and directing “The Call of the Tribes” radio program, we told our executive committee that our best efforts could not compete with more professionally produced Christian programming without a significant increase in funding, and recommended that it be phased out. Soon afterwards, Ernie was invited to teach at NTM’s Bible Institute in Waukesha, WI, where we served for 26 years.

Karen homeschooled our four children; Carissa (1990), Danika (’92), Abel (’94) and Levi (’97). She also served at the school’s K-6 academy, at the reception desk, in the education office and as Ernie’s grader.

Ernie was privileged to teach many key courses over the years, including Romans, The Life of Christ, Hebrews, Evangelism, I, II and III John, Pastoral Epistles and Hermeneutics.

In 2012, Ernie developed a neurological voice disorder called spasmodic dysphonia that made speech difficult and unpleasant sounding. Obviously, teaching by lecture became a great deal more challenging. Within a few years, it became apparent the voice problem was permanent, and I revived an old desire to learn sign language.

In time, we came to understand that the Deaf are considered 98% unreached with the Gospel of Christ, even in the USA! We both began to learn American Sign Language more earnestly, and our hope now is to evangelize, support and disciple Deaf individuals for Christ both through one-on-one interaction and developing video tools that communicate Bible truth through ASL, the true language of their hearts.

In June of 2016, our youngest child, Levi Nathanael Richards, shocked us all by taking his own life. We had seen Levi as eccentric and struggling with normal teen problems, but this was something his family and closest friends never saw coming.

Of course, we were devastated. But it forced us to seek the Lord with all our hearts and we can say we’ve grown from it. On a practical basis, our family still suffers various repercussions, but we remain close and mutually supportive.

Since Levi’s death, we have been wonderfully gifted with five adorable grandchildren, which has helped so very much with our grief, although we have the additional sorrow that they will never get to know their precious and amazing uncle.

We actively serve in Living Word Deaf Church in Lynchburg, VA, and are thrilled to be plugged into and embraced by the Deaf /ASL community in this area.

OHAH Facilitator’s - Dad’s Gatherings; Contributing Authors: Until Then: Stories of Loss and Hope & Held Through the Storm: Stories of Suicide Loss and Hope in Christ (2024); Conference Speakers; available to connect with bereaved parents through ASL