Words about Bob:
Robert “Bob” Douglas Morris was born on March 27, 1940 in Sarnia, Ontario. The son of missionary parents, his early years were spent in Nigeria at the Oyi River leprosarium administered by his parents. He was their sole child born in Canada – his brother and sisters, Wally, Estelle, and Joan, were all born in Nigeria – sometimes in trying circumstances. He attended Kent Academy in Nigeria, and then in 1952 he and his siblings returned to Canada and lived at Gowan’s Home, a boarding house for children of missionaries, in Collingwood, Ontario. They did not see their parents again until 1957, such was the difficulty and expense of travel in those times and their parents ‘ commitment to their mission.
Early on he knew failure, through unsuccessful attempts at a triple major of math, physics and chemistry at the University of Toronto. Even in his later years, he would recount the colour of the blank paper at his final, fated examination. He recovered, received his B.Th. from the London College of Bible and Missions, and also obtained a B.A. in History and English from the University of Western Ontario.
His faith ran true and he found happiness, purpose and success following in his parents’ steps as a missionary beginning in 1970 – first as a history teacher and then headmaster at Woodstock School in Mussoorie, India. After Woodstock, he held various executive positions with his mission, BMMF/Interserve, in Karachi, Pakistan, New Delhi, India and Nicosia, Cyprus. He travelled widely serving the many missionaries under his care – many of whom lived and worked in difficult and dangerous places, often alone and with little support.
Finally, over these last few years, he completed his calling as a part of the Interserve Canada leadership team where he facilitated a key role as missions advisor, mentor of young missionaries and catalyst to impact the church in the direction of missions. His influence was felt far beyond Interserve as he served his Saviour in Canada in many different missional initiatives: MissionPrep, the Tyndale Inter-Cultural Ministries Centre at Tyndale University (of which he was an alumnus and also received an Honourary Doctorate), the Maranatha Foundation and Perspectives, as well as contributing to Urbana.
Bob Morris was a man of God whose influence continues through those whom he taught, coached and mentored. Bob understood that to be a disciple of Jesus Christ was just the entrance to a new paradigm of life and ministry.