Gordon McCormick

13^th December 1954 – 27^th January 2006

“The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration but its donation.”

(Corrie Ten Boom)

Gordon McCormick was an ordinary man through whom God did an extraordinary work. After giving his life to the Lord in November 1986, Gordon felt God’s call on his life and following two years at Emmanuel Bible College (1990-1992), the doors opened for Gordon, his wife Phyllis and family to go to Tanzania as full time missionaries. Initially Gordon was working with the Africa Gospel Church but in 1993, they were led to set up the Tanzania Christian Farm Development Trust (TCFDT). This work began on a 300 acre site in the village of Ndevelwa near Tabora with the building of a farm compound and school to teach the local people agriculture and other trades, provide employment and to evangelise and teach the wider community in the Christian faith.

Not content with just that, Gordon sought to widen and develop the work in other areas. A man of ideas, vision and hard work, TCFDT has developed to include 4 projects, all of which are underpinned with the aim of showing a practical demonstration of the love of Christ to the people of Tanzania: Ndevelwa Farm, Tabora Dairies, a Butchers Shop and Kazima Farm. This last project is situated on a 10 acre site which contains a small pig and cattle farm at present and will see the development of an orphanage for small babies and children in the near future.

The McCormick family lived in Tanzania for 5 years before having to return to Northern Ireland to complete the children's education. However Gordon’s tireless love and desire for the work in Tanzania resulted in him commuting to Tanzania three times a year, often for 2-3 months at a time. In January 2005, on one such trip, Gordon took ill and had to return to Northern Ireland where he was later diagnosed with cancer. A man of great courage and determination, Gordon managed one last trip to Tanzania in October 2005.

On January 27^h 2006, Gordon was called home to be with the Lord, aged 51 years of age. Beloved husband of Phyllis and father of Andrew, Julie, Jenna, and Emma. He will be much loved and remembered for his work with the people of Tanzania.

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that Day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2Timothy 4: 7-8)