"THIS IS MY STORY..."

BURDIE HENRI

Burdie's family...

Born to missionary parents, my siblings and I spent much of our early lives in Africa. I have such fond memories of life in Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya. We also lived in Sweden while my father conducted a revival. My parents took us sightseeing in Europe and the Middle East as we traveled back to the US on furlough. While home we traveled extensively, sharing their experiences across the country, as Black missionaries were a novelty at that time (they were among the first to serve as missionaries for the Seventh-day Adventist Church).

My parents involved me in music at an early age, as my mother was involved in choir and other music activities. I learned to play the piano and can remember my first youth Sabbath where I played a pump organ for divine service. Later, I played for revivals and church services and currently still play at a couple of churches monthly (Fayette & Mt. Olive). Upon returning permanently to the U.S., we settled in the South Atlantic Conference and while in high school, my father was called to pastor the Atlanta Berean Church. It was during this time that I fell in love with Berean and Atlanta, vowing I would live here if I settled in the U.S. After graduating from Forest Lake Academy, I attended Oakwood College (University) but then left to study at Middle East College (my parents returned to Africa) for a year. I graduated from Loma Linda University, but not before the travel bug bit me again. I served as a student missionary in Pakistan for a year, returned to the US to finish college and then relocated to Atlanta where I have lived for 30+ years.

I worked in banking for more than 20 years and continued in financial services careers until my mother’s health (my father, retired general VP of the General Conference, died in 2002) required me to care for her. Photography has been an interest for many years, but it wasn’t until about two years ago that I became serious. At this time, caring for mom gives me some flexibility and time to focus on photography. Abraham, my dog, has become an outstanding photography companion. We often take short drives to discover new places. Nature and macro photography has been my main focus. As time permits, I would like to become more proficient in street and architectural photography. I am grateful to participate in Berean’s photography ministry and the growth opportunity it offers, even though my membership is at Fayette SDA Church in Fayetteville.