After more than 33 years as missionaries with Reach Beyond, the last 22 at the organization's Ministry Service Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., Harold and Linda became active retirees at the beginning of 2018.

Harold grew up in Western Canada, giving his heart to the Lord at the age of 9. It was while attending Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta that Harold and his late wife, Starr, sensed God’s call to missions. After graduating, Harold studied journalism and worked on newspapers for five years.

In 1984 God led the Goerzens to serve with Reach Beyond, using their skills in writing, music and hospitality. After a year of Spanish language school, they arrived in Quito, Ecuador, with their two children, Chad and Carol, in June 1985.

Ten years later the mission transferred them to Colorado Springs where Harold became senior editor. His role was much the same as previously, only with a worldwide focus. Before leaving Ecuador, he completed his B.A. in interpersonal and group communications from Trinity College in Illinois.

Just months after arriving in the U.S., Starr was diagnosed with acute leukemia, and the Lord took her home in March 1997. Just six months later Harold met Linda (originally from New Jersey) in Colorado Springs, and they were married in June 1998 upon which she joined the mission.

Chad has a B.A. in engineering physics from the Colorado School of Mines in Colorado and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Tel Aviv University in Israel. He works at NASA’s Ames Research Center near San Francisco, programming helicopters to fly without a pilot or remote control. Chad and his longtime partner, Hadar (a law professor at UC Hastings College of the Law), are in the process of adopting a baby boy, Rio, who was born on Aug. 29, 2017.

Carol has bachelor's and master's degrees in education from The Masters College in California. She has been an elementary schoolteacher since 2007 and currently teaches first grade at Imagine Classical Academy in Colorado Springs. Her husband, Konrad Bell, works in donor services at The Navigators. They have cared for several foster children in recent years, and in 2014 they adopted "Lulu" who is now 14. They have three foster children (siblings) whom they hope to adopt in early 2018.

Linda received the Lord at the age of 27 after her husband’s death (also due to leukemia). She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Pennsylvania’s Bloomsburg State and Temple University respectively. Her passion is developing people, and her gifts are in helps, encouragement and mercy.

Linda taught in an elementary school for 3½ years and volunteered for Compassion International for many years. She worked in health insurance for 13½ years before moving to Colorado Springs in 1994. Linda worked part-time as a missions assistant at  Woodmen Valley Chapel. She continues to help with special projects at Reach Beyond and keeps in close contact with the Goerzens' many ministry partners.

The Goerzens plan to move to the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada, in the spring of 2018 to be closer to Harold's mother, Irene, who lives in a care center.