Joe and Donna Rider were raised in Christian homes and accepted Christ as Savior when they were children.  They met in college and were married in 1987.  Joe has worked in radio and television and has also been an associate pastor of both missions and youth.  Donna has worked as a secretary.  They have two children, Tyler and Austin.

For several years Joe and Donna had discussed going to the mission field someday.  Finally, in 1996, the time seemed right and they applied to be career missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators.  They are now serving in Cameroon, West Africa.

Donna is working as an administrative assistant in the computer department, and Joe is the Personnel Director for the Cameroon Branch.  As part of the Administrative Team, his responsibilities include new missionary orientation, personnel placement, management training, information flow, missionary care, and overseeing the spiritual life team, children's education team and health services team, so as to facilitate the task of Bible Translation in Cameroon.  Matthew 22:17 says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind..."  Part of Joe's role is to make sure for every missionary that these three areas are healthy in order that each missionary is functioning well and growing in the Lord.