PJ personifies excellence. She is one of the most hard-working, conscientious, and sacrificial workers we have been privileged to serve with overseas, and for the past two years Compassion Corps has been blessed to benefit from her leadership example on our Board of Directors.
She has been an active member at Grace Bible Fellowship Church for over 30 years, serving at various times in the choir, on the missions committee, on the nominating committee, and with VBS. Along with her husband, Rich, she helped to lead senior high youth group for over 20 years. She and Rich have been married for 33 years and have 3 grown sons (one is now married), all who attended The Christian Academy where PJ was an active parent and PTO Treasurer for several years.
Having graduated from Widener College/University in 1979 with a B.S. in Nursing, PJ worked for more than 25 years as a visiting nurse and the past 5+ years as a per diem RN at a local family health practice. She also has carried out the important task of payroll manager for her husband’s machine shop business for over 20 years. Her nursing skills and talent for detail-oriented work have helped her not only to excel in her career ventures, but have been invaluable in her work for Compassion Corps. PJ served on 2 medical teams, both during very difficult conditions, in Timbuktu, Mali, (in the midst of extreme heat & a sandstorm) and in Haiti, (after the 2010 earthquake).
PJ contributes an attitude of excitement and encouragement to the whole CC Team and is especially helpful to the work as she serves in her current role as Board Secretary. She once told us, “I have always tried to live my life, following the words of my favorite childhood song, ‘J-O-Y’… Jesus, Others, & You: what a wonderful way to spell ‘JOY’.” …when we think of what “PJ” means to us, we think of “Pure Joy”!