Benjamin and Christine Hegeman are dual Canadian and American citizens who started serving with SIM in 1990 in West Africa, primarily Benin. Benjamin served at the Baatonu Language Bible School training pastors and evangelists. With his extensive studies in Islam, he also taught seminars, courses, and wrote various materials in English, French and the Baatonu language on Islam. Benjamin and Christine returned to North America in 2004 for Ben to serve as SIM’s Missionary in Residence at Houghton College (NY State). In time, Benjamin and colleague Dr. Don Little founded the Lilias Trotter Centre to help promote thoughtful academic and practical engagement with Muslims. Benjamin and Christine have devoted much of their time to discipleship with students at Houghton, and continue to travel to East and West Africa to teach courses in English French and Baatonu. They have 3 married children and 5 grandchildren.