Aldean and Ellen Saufley

Aldean and Ellen Saufley served as missionaries to Haiti with OMS International from 1960 to 2002. Ellen began her missionary service in 1954 with the Haiti Inland Mission, and then returned to the United States to complete Bible school training before returning to Haiti in 1960. Aldean’s parents were missionaries in Sierra Leone, West Africa, so Aldean thought he would one day return to the field where his parents had served. However, God had other plans. In 1957, Aldean went to Haiti as an associate missionary for his first 18-month term of service at Radio 4VEH, located at Cap Haitien, Haiti. After a furlough in 1959-60, Aldean returned to the field as a career missionary with OMS International. After Ellen arrived on the field, she and Aldean worked together in various radio programming for several months before the Lord joined them together in marriage on January 1, 1963.

During their time on the field, Aldean filled the roles of English program director, announcer, newscaster, musician, program producer, recording technician and control room operator at Radio 4VEH. He also helped train Haitian nationals so Radio 4VEH was able to provide the Christian community with Bible studies, evangelism programs and other tools for the building and nurturing of the Haitian Church, as well as music, news, cultural and educational programs to reach those who had no relationship with Jesus Christ. Aldean also had the responsibility each week of playing his accordion (and later a keyboard) for Sunday morning services in various churches. Radio 4VEH now broadcasts on AM and FM in Haiti and has several satellite downlinks in the country, which help it reach the entire nation of Haiti. Listeners around the world also can now hear the station on the Internet.

In addition to helping Aldean with his radio responsibilities and producing some radio programs herself, Ellen served at the Emmaus Vocational Bible School―now Emmaus Biblical Seminary. During her years at the school (1970-2000), Ellen served for periods of time as director and academic dean, in addition to her regular teaching responsibilities. She also served as administrator and part-time teacher in the Outreach English program and worked in the OMS Every Creature Crusade ministry (now known as Every Community for Christ) in Haiti. Much of Ellen’s time was spent supervising the Christian service assignments of the students as she worked with “her boys” in their small beginning churches.

Now in retirement, or what Aldean calls ‘Retreadment,’ Aldean plays organ and piano in various churches and serves as organist in several summer camps and continues to record music on CDs for Radio 4VEH in Haiti. Ellen’s fibromyalgia has limited her physical activity, but she still enjoys teaching, especially Sunday school classes. Both she and Aldean have preached and assisted churches temporarily without pastors.

Aldean holds a bachelor’s, a master’s and a doctoral degree in religious education from Evangelical Bible Seminary in Florida. Ellen earned a master’s degree in Christian ministry from Huntington University’s School of Christian Ministries and a master of arts degree in religion and a master of religious education degree. Evangelical Bible Seminary also granted her a doctor of religious education degree. They both have certificates in pastoral counseling and are qualified to teach English as a second language.

Missionary ID #801196