John and Zoe Putman serve at Rift Valley Academy (RVA); AIM’s boarding school which educates and disciples students from missionary families across Africa, in Kijabe, Kenya. John teaches while Zoe provides academic support for the younger students in the Primary School, Titchie Swot.
After meeting each other on mission with British Youth for Christ, John and Zoe married and moved to the northwest of England to be missionaries to the Wirral. Over the past 20 years, the Putmans have embedded themselves in northern culture, learned the local dialect and worked alongside local young people, families and neighbours to share God’s love and the message of Jesus.
In early life John lived in Tanzania where his parents were missionaries for seven years, moving back to England for his secondary schooling. More recently God has brought Africa flowing back into his heart and mind, making him homesick for his childhood continent. Following this, he and Zoe separately received the same invitation to join an online event “Teaching in Mission” with AIM. Since that online ‘Zoom’ event, God has really opened up the road to RVA.
Zoe grew up in multicultural Bedford and enjoyed having friends from around the world. As a child, Zoe listened to ‘Psalty the Singing Songbook’ tapes which told of the love of God for the whole world and introduced her to the heart of mission. God sowed a seed of willingness in her heart to ‘go’ from a very young age which has now come to fruition.
Could you support John and Zoe in their work?
