“God chooses people who are obedient to do amazing things for His glory.”
— Marge Almack
Sacrifice for the Sake of the Gospel
The path of obedience was not without cost. Leaving behind family in England, Ken and Bessie came to the U.S. to establish CLC, and from there, the work spread to many countries.
Ken often traveled for weeks or even months at a time, laying foundations for the ministry in new places. Back home, Bessie shouldered the weight of family life, relying on God for strength.“Mother was willing to trust God for wisdom and strength when Dad was gone,” Marge remembers. “That trust was central to why they did what they did.”
Yet alongside the sacrifice came joy. The family celebrated each answered prayer—funds arriving just in time for a project, new workers joining the team, and most of all, people coming to faith in Jesus.
“They were a great team,” Marge says. “Opposite in temperament, but always encouraging each other. Neither of them was highly educated. They just decided it was best to follow their Captain—the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Legacy That Still Inspires
Today, decades after those first steps of faith, CLC has grown far beyond what Ken and Bessie could have imagined. “The growth of the work and the many national leaders who are leading CLC in their own countries and internationally would thrill them,” Marge says with a smile. And their “why”? It is as relevant as ever. “Yes,” Marge insists, “Jesus is worthy of every sacrifice to get the truth of the Gospel to every nation!”
Sidebar: A Family of Prayer
Even as she looks back, Marge continues to look forward—inviting us into prayer:
For CLC: “Pray that the Lord will continue to give godly, humble, visionary leaders—obedient to the Holy Spirit. Seeing God raise up national leaders is thrilling! CLC is a family, and my prayer is that this aspect will continue as we support each other through prayer, finances, and every way possible.”
For the Almack Family: Marge and her husband Bill are preparing to move in with their daughter Heidi’s family by the end of the year. “They’re building a grandparents’ addition to their house. This is God’s provision for us! Please pray for this transition, as we downsize, pack, and adjust.”
The Heart of “Our Why”
Ken and Bessie’s lives remind us that the mission of CLC was never built on human strategy alone. It began with two ordinary people who believed that obedience to Christ was worth everything—and who trusted God to use their small steps of faith for His glory.
Their story is, in many ways, the story of CLC itself: prayerful, sacrificial, Christ- centered, and filled with joy at seeing God work. It’s why we do what we do, and why the mission continues—until every nation has access to the truth of the Gospel.