RICHMOND, Va. (BP)–Robert “Bob” Finck, a 51-year-old missions volunteer from Fellowship Community Church in Salem, Va., was killed early Monday morning, Aug. 9, in an automobile accident in Zambia, west of the capital city of Lusaka.
International Mission Board missionary Melissa Frady of Tennessee, accompanied by church team leader Tim Rogers, was driving Finck to a hospital after he reported experiencing severe kidney stone pain. The truck went off the road in Kafue National Park. Finck was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene. Frady and Rogers received bruises and scrapes.
The accident occurred about 2 a.m. Monday in a remote area of the park. Rogers stayed at the scene, while Frady walked along the road until she flagged down a driver to take her toward Lusaka, where she was able to pick up a cell phone signal and call for help.
Finck, Rogers and five other volunteers from Fellowship Community Church arrived in Zambia Aug. 6 and planned to stay until Aug. 14 to lead a Bible conference and minister to youth and children. They were about five hours from the capital when Finck asked to be taken to the hospital.
One of the team members reported over the weekend that three local people had made decisions to accept Christ as Savior. Fellowship Community Church, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary Aug. 11, was planning to have the Zambia team call in to report on their mission trip during the special service.
Stephanie Painter, the church’s director of missions, described Finck as passionate about missions and heavily involved in local and overseas ministry projects.
“He was very passionate about Zambia,” said Painter, noting that this was his third trip to the country. “He was very involved. Sometimes he’d come in the office and we’d share mission trip stories.
“He was always stepping up to the plate,” she added. “He was a special guy…. Everything about him was special.”
Finck is survived by his wife, Sandi, and three children — Amanda, 21; Brenna, 16; and Hunter, 10. Funeral arrangements are pending.
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Reported by the communications staff of the International Mission Board.
