Estol and Kristen Bathurst
- Currently serving: Mangochi, Malawi
- Home church: Zion BIC (Abilene, Kansas)
- Serving since: 2019
- Married: 2003
- Children: Landon, Leighton, Jackson, Malachi, and Ruth
After living their entire lives in rural Kansas, Estol and Kristen believe the Lord is calling them to share the gospel of Jesus Christ in Malawi.
Abilene, Kansas, has been their home during their 15 years of marriage, and they have been members of the Zion BIC congregation in Abilene for 13 years. Both are extremely grateful to have grown up in homes that taught the love, forgiveness, and grace of Jesus.
Estol encountered Jesus Christ during a Sunday evening church service. His relationship with the Lord continued to grow in youth group and the Navigators college campus ministry at Kansas State University, where he graduated with a degree in agriculture technology management.
He enjoyed growing up in a farming family. Aside from several years as a youth pastor at Zion BIC, he has spent most of his career in agriculture-related fields. For the past seven years, he has enjoyed farming with his dad and brother.
Kristen put her faith in Christ at a young age and experienced a time of spiritual growth during her college years at Kansas State University. She spent several years working in health care as a dietitian. Her faith in God’s Word has grown through her life’s experiences, particularly through parenting, adoption, and homeschooling.
When Jake and Nancy Shenk, World Missions missionaries in Zimbabwe, preached at Zion BIC, Estol felt a distinct call from the Holy Spirit to be open to serving in Africa. To clarify that God was directing him, Estol told the Lord he would only ask Kristen once if she felt a similar leading. Kristen confirmed that during the sermon she, too, had experienced a desire to serve cross-culturally.
Through the Lord’s strength, they took an exploratory trip to Malawi and Mozambique a year later, where God gave them direction to return to Malawi.
Estol and Kristen will be serving with missionaries Doug and Barb Miller in Mangochi, Malawi, teaching the Word of God among the unreached Yawo people group with the goal of seeing a movement of multiplication among new Christ-followers.