the website of Alan and Donna Brown, IMB missionaries to Mexico

Biographical Information

Alan and Donna Brown
Married: 1977
Kids: Chrissie, 1978; Casey 1981
Grandkids: Shelby, 1996; Greyson, 2007; Izabella, 2008
 

Current Assignment:

Team Strategy Leader
American Peoples Affinity
Spanish-Speaking Mexico Cluster
Border Cities Team
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico

Alan

Alan was born in Monroe, Louisiana and grew up in several different towns in Northeast Louisiana. He graduated from West Monroe, LA high school in 1974 and later studied at Louisiana Tech and Northeast Louisiana University. After a long career in retail grocery, Alan entered New Orleans Baptist Seminary in 1997, graduating with the B.A in 2000, and M.Div. in 2003.

Donna

Donna was born in Farmerville, Louisiana and grew up in Downsville. She graduated from Downsville High School in 1977. Donna was a homemaker and stay-at-home mom during the early years of marriage.

 Our Story

As Alan's grocery career approached twenty years, he sensed God calling him to leave his job and answer the calling to missions to Spanish-speaking people. After dealing with the calling for several months, Alan surrendered in January of 1997 and immediately began seminary work. A year and a half later, he was called to a local church as it's first Minister of Missions. In this associate pastor role, Alan was able to continue seminary and refine the calling God had placed in his life.

Donna was sure that God had called her to be the wife of a missionary during the early months of the couple's transition. But on a short-term mission trip to Mexico in 2000, Donna's personal calling to missions was made clear. From that point, the couple knew that one day they would serve the Lord in another country. In the interval from 2000 to 2003, God further clarified the call to Mexico and led them to select the state of Sonora as the specific place that God would plant them.

Alan's experience spans 21 years of retailing, including 15 as a store manager. He served on a church staff for 5 years, and attended seminary part-time and full-time for 6 1/2 years. As a layman, Alan served as deacon, Sunday School teacher, Sunday School director, and on various committees.

Donna worked in church daycare programs as a teacher of 4 year old preschoolers for several years. She changed job fields in 1998, becoming Activity Director for an Assisted Living facility, working with Alzheimer's patients. In 2002, Donna was promoted to Executive Director of the facility. Additionally Donna has served as a Sunday School teacher, committee member, and church hostess. Donna also volunteered as a PTA mom and as a sponsor for church youth trips.

God has allowed us to serve as full-time missionaries to Mexico since late 2003. We returned to the field in May 2008 to begin our second four-year term. We feel humbled and blessed to be part of what He is doing to bring the message of hope to the people of Sonora.