Ralph and Maridee met in Nigeria in 1977 where they served as single missionaries. Ralph taught in a Nigerian Bible College and Maridee ministered among the deaf. While in Nigeria, God burdened them individually for nomadic Muslims who had no Gospel witness. They were married in 1979. In 1983, they joined SIM. They have two adult children, Luke and Sara.

They served in Niger in pioneer evangelism and church planting among the nomadic Muslim Tamajaq people. They have also served in the SIM USA headquarters in the screening, placement and orientation of missionary candidates. Ralph and Maridee have taught missions courses at The Master’s College in California. They served as Southeast Regional Directors for SIM from 2000-2006. In 2006, they returned to Niger where they were involved in evangelism among Muslims and discipling church leadership in the young church emerging among the Tamajaq people. Maridee taught at Sahel Academy, the missionary kid school in Niger.

They returned to the United States in 2009 to care for Ralph’s aging parents. They continue to support the Tamajaq ministry as non-residential missionaries and by representing the Tamajaq to churches and prayer partners in the U.S. Ralph travels to Niger to encourage Tamajaq believers and missionaries. They also serve with SIM in the mobilization of new missionaries. Maridee serves with SIM USA’s Member Care ministries. She helps prepare new missionaries for overseas services, as well as participates in their debriefs when they return to the U.S. An important part of Maridee’s ministry is helping missionaries navigate the stresses of change due to political upheaval, natural disasters, severe illness, epidemics, kidnapping, etc. Another passion they have is to mobilize immigrant churches in the U.S. for cross-cultural ministry and champion unreached Muslim and nomadic peoples to the U.S. church.

For more information about the Sauerses and their ministry with SIM:

Email: Ralph.Sauers@sim.org Maridee.Sauers@sim.org

Website: www.simusa.org