“This very obvious fact—that each generation is taught by an earlier generation—must be kept in mind… No generation can bequeath to its successor what it has not got… We shall admit that a man who knows no Greek himself cannot teach Greek to his form; but it is equally certain that a man whose mind was formed in a period of cynicism and disillusion cannot hope to teach hope or fortitude.”  C. S. Lewis (1946)

Jeff Talley grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs. He gave his life to the Lord as a boy of nine, later attending Covenant College and Westminster Theological Seminary. Esther was a “missionary kid” from Kenya, where her parents served with World Presbyterian Missions. After completing high school in Kenya, she went to Covenant College, where she met Jeff, then moved on to Columbia University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. Jeff and Esther were married in 1974. While Jeff completed a master of divinity degree, Esther worked for a local hospital.

Jeff and Esther went to Kenya with Mission to the World (MTW) in 1981—first to the rural area of Muruu, then to the city of Nairobi. In 1991, they were moved to Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) where they led a team in evangelism and church planting. By June 2003, they were ready to leave Africa, but remained interested in church planting, and were convicted that God was calling them to join the MTW church planting team in Trnava, Slovak Republic, Central Europe.

The Slovak Republic once formed the eastern 40% of Czechoslovakia. The people there struggle to overcome the cynicism and disillusion engendered by many years of atheistic communism. The church-planting team seeks to target the youth, especially the university students who are curious about the once “forbidden” Christianity. The ministry had been founded six years ago by John and Kathy Lesondak, the only other career missionaries, who have occasionally been assisted by short-timers. The team’s ministry center in Trnava is called “The Building.”

The Talleys have four grown children: Laura (1978), Matthew (1980), Janet (1983), and Kyle (1984). All are currently active in Christian service throughout the world.

Please remember to pray for the Talleys:

• Pray that their hearts may be restored daily by going to the cross and finding forgiveness and cleansing and joy in the gift, the righteousness of the Lord.

• Pray for their health and safety, as well as the health and safety of their children.

• And pray for the church-planting team in Trnava, that love will be their mark before the watching eyes of the community.