Donn and Daisy Townsend

The Lord began to speak to Donn and Daisy about the spiritual needs of the Japanese people in February of 2001. In August of that year, they went to Tokyo for two and a half weeks with International Link, an One Mission Society short-term mission program. Two years later, Donn took a year’s leave of absence from his job, and they returned to Japan for a year. Donn served as OMS Japan treasurer and taught several adult English evangelism classes, while Daisy taught both adult and children’s English evangelism classes. They also taught conversational English classes at the Tokyo Biblical Seminary, led an English worship service twice a month, and had a ministry of prayer walking.

Donn and Daisy plan to return to Japan in the summer of 2008, after Donn retires from teaching, to continue in those same ministries. They will be in Japan for at least three years. While serving in Japan, Daisy had a strong sense that this was what she was created to do, and God confirmed to Donn that what He had called them to do could not be accomplished in a single year. Currently, they serve as Country Prayer Champions with MFM International’s (the layman’s voice of OMS) Japan Prayer Initiative, taking intercessory prayer teams to Japan and building a broader prayer base for that nation.

The Townsends also had a family music ministry for many years, singing in churches of many different denominations throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and Indiana. More recently, they were involved in leading the music ministry in their church before going to Japan, planning and leading worship together, as well as doing special music. Daisy also taught adult Sunday school classes, led Bible studies, and served as secretary of the governing board.

Donn graduated from Goshen College and Purdue University and is employed as an instructor of math, physics, and electrical engineering at the Shenango Campus of Penn State, and Daisy is a certified pastoral counselor with the National Christian Counselors Association, presently involved in mentoring women. They have three children and seven grandchildren.

Both Donn and Daisy believe that God is calling them not only to the nation of Japan, but also to OMS Japan where OMS had its beginning in 1901. Their heart’s desire is to see the nation of Japan come to life spiritually as God fulfills the promises that He made more than 100 years ago to the founders of OMS.