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Extra

 

August 2025

Alum made eternal impact through missions, service

Growing up in Alaska, Randy and Robin Covington would probably never have dreamed they would one day end up on the mission field in Russia. But in God’s unique plan, living in one remote, cold locale would be the perfect preparation for the other one in which they would make Gospel inroads.

Born and raised near Anchorage, Randy met Robin in his church youth group and they enjoyed choir,

mission trips and all the traditional youth activities before beginning to date. They married just after high school, and Randy went to work in title insurance. But God would soon change their path.

“I sensed that the Lord really had something else for me,” said Randy, a 1982 graduate. “I was volunteering at a church, just leading music and doing youth ministry. And that was where we sensed God's call into full-time ministry.”

Randy enrolled in 1977 at the University of Alaska to study music, but as he realized there was no religious music aspect, he began to think another direction. His two brothers, Kerry and Allan Covington, were already at ÁÔÆæÖØ¿ÚÊÓƵ back in Plainview, and he learned the Alaska Baptist Convention had a partnership to scholarship students to the Texas campus. It just made sense to transfer, and in 1979 Randy and Robin made the move. She worked in the school library while he worked on a music degree, completing it in 1982.

The couple continued to Southwestern Seminary, where Randy pursued a master’s degree in religious education, then they returned home to Alaska, taking a ministry role at First Baptist Church in Wasilla.

“I thought I would be there the rest of my life. Great church. Great place. I loved Alaska. I loved what I was doing and the Lord was blessing; our church was growing. But in a missions conference

that we did for our association, I was hosting a bunch of missionaries and taking care of them during the day, playing basketball and stuff. And it was actually on the basketball court that one of them asked me the question, ‘why aren't you a missionary?’” remembers Randy.

“I said I'm serving the Lord. I'm doing this in a sense. I'm in my own mission field here. But that planted a seed in my mind, and I began to just think about that and saying, ‘Lord certainly you don't have missions in my future, do you?’ And the Lord just began to slowly begin to prepare my heart for that.”

Randy and Robin began praying and decided to pursue missions overseas. Work was just beginning to open up in Russia at the time, and the Covingtons felt it might be a fit.

“It was the first opportunity for us to send missionaries into an atheist nation, a communist country, and we just sensed maybe the Lord was leading there. And thinking about Russia, it's a cold place. It's an isolated place. We're from Alaska, so we understand cold,” he said. “So we thought maybe God has been preparing us all along for this. As we began that process, the Lord finally opened the door for us to be appointed in 1993. We actually arrived in January of 1994.”

Randy and Robin and their two children – then 9 and 13 – were sent to the Russian Far East, specifically the city of Khabarovsk, where their skills in student ministry came in handy to work for

the Baptist Union there. They were the first career International Mission Board missionaries to be placed in that region, and they saw their numbers grow over the years.

“I've often said that when the Lord calls you to the ends of the earth, for us starting in Alaska, the end of the earth was far east Russia,” he laughed.

After seven years there, the family moved to the peninsula of Kamchatka, where they engaged with the small peoples of the north, an unreached people group of smaller tribes, for about seven years.

“The people that we worked with were reindeer herders. We were getting into villages and traveling and doing evangelism and trying to plant churches in some of those places. That was probably one of our greatest loves living in a village of 2000,” he recalled. “As we reflect back on our time in Alaska, when we visited the villages here, we were working with native peoples and they also have a very subsistence lifestyle. There are some reindeer herders even here in Alaska. So it seemed to be a good connection for us.”

Randy then became a cluster leader overseeing missionaries in Russia before the IMB asked him to become a cluster leader for nine countries in South Europe. After seven years in Greece, the IMB offered early retirement for some as they reorganized, and the Covingtons took that opportunity. As it turns out, those years in Russia would then prepare the family for their next chapter of ministry, ironically back home.

“We sensed that the Lord was saying it's time to come back home. I knew I wasn't done with

ministry, but we knew it was time to transition. As we began that process, all of a sudden we were contacted by our home state here in Alaska by the state convention executive who was getting

ready to retire,” said Randy. “We really at first didn't expect that to take place, but the Lord just cleared the path and before we knew it, they were calling us to come and serve as the executive director for the convention.”

“When I came back to Alaska, I thought, man, there are so many villages here, just like in Russia that don't have a gospel witness. And so I'm thinking what kind of strategy have I learned overseas that I can apply here because Alaska is definitely a pioneer state as far as Southern Baptist work. We're about as far from the south as you can get,” he said of the convention work. “We’ve just been trying to figure out how to expand and to reach every corner of our state with the gospel. Basically what I learned with the International Mission Board really came into play here.”

Now, as the state convention celebrates 80 years of resourcing Alaskan churches, Randy is preparing to retire and move with Robin to Arizona to be near family. He officially leaves in late September and already has the title to his next chapter. He will be continuing work with Capitol Ministries, which organizes Bible studies with legislators around the country, serving as part-time global director for North America. He also would not mind doing adjunct teaching or supply preaching.

As an ADOS Reservist, Manzo was the lead 405th AFSB representative at the Powidz Army

Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in Poland while it was still under construction. Upon retiring, Manzo returned to his hometown of Helotes, Texas, and a year later came back to Poland as an Army civilian employee assigned to Logistics Readiness Center Poland, 405th AFSB.

Now, Manzo (MBA'97) works in the property book office of the Supply and Services Division, LRC Poland. He said his office, including him, is made up of three Army civilians and three contractors. While that may seem like a robust property book team to some, Manzo said because of their mission in Poland and the number of sites and forward operating bases they support, it’s not.

“We are responsible for equipment all over Poland in support of the rotational units, here,” he said. “In total there are 11 forward operating bases that we’re responsible for. We’re talking about U.S. Army Garrison Poland, we’re talking about equipment still under the old legacy Area Support Group Poland before USAG Poland existed, and we’re talking about equipment internal to LRC Poland.”

“Day to day, it’s maintaining accountability for property scattered all across Poland that’s used in support of the rotational units, and it’s reducing waste and saving the Army money by turning in the excess equipment, life-cycle replaceable equipment and inoperable equipment,” said the retired colonel who served 16 years on active duty and 15 years in the Army Reserve.

Manzo said he and his team work directly with USAG Poland leadership and the 19 directorates, staff sections and offices within the garrison to ensure 100 percent accountability is maintained on all the garrison equipment all the time. The property book team from LRC Poland works with the Directorate of Public Works; the Family, Morale Welfare and Recreation Directorate; Directorate of Human Resources; Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization, and Security; the Resource Management Office; Information Management Office; Public Affairs Office; and others.

“It certainly can be a challenge at times, but overall it’s just fantastic working with all these professionals as we do our very best to support the warfighters,” said Manzo, who added that his team of property book experts is operating at about 40 percent of their authorized strength, and the garrison they support doesn’t have property book specialists or a property book section.

“It's a total team effort, and everyone just kind of says, ‘hey, you know what? Let's just get this done.’ No one here says, ‘that’s not my job.’ Instead, we all come together as a team and take care of it,” said Manzo who holds a Master of Science degree in education from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and a Master of Business Administration from ÁÔÆæÖØ¿ÚÊÓƵ Baptist University in San Antonio.

“Sometimes that might mean we’re unloading food trucks that just arrived or putting stuff on a dolly and moving it across the compound or driving out to one of the forward operating bases to help one of the staff sections with their property book inventories,” said Manzo, who served for 2.5 years in combat, one tour each in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.

"If they need assistance, we’re here to support them. We’re a team. We’re a big family,” said Manzo, who come November will be married for 29 years. Manzo and his wife have two sons, he said, a senior at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado who just got accepted into flight school, and another at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut who’s a sophomore.

LRC Poland is one of eight LRCs under the command and control of the 405th AFSB. LRCs execute installation logistics support and services to include supply, maintenance, and transportation as well as clothing issue facility operations, hazardous material management, personal property and household goods, passenger travel, non-tactical vehicle and garrison equipment management, and property book operations. When it comes to providing day-to-day installation services, LRC Poland directs, manages and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of USAG Poland.

LRC Poland reports to the 405th AFSB, which is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and headquartered in Kaiserslautern. The brigade provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. 

Story by Cameron Porter, 405th Army Field Support

 

Devotional: Teaching and Investing in the Next Generation

 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” — Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)

As alumni, we are part of a remarkable legacy—one that stretches beyond our own achievements to the generations that follow. Teaching the next generation isn’t just for educators or pastors; it’s a calling for all who care about shaping a better future. Whether we mentor a student, encourage a young professional, or support emerging leaders, our influence matters.

Think about those who invested in you—professors who challenged your thinking, coaches who encouraged your growth, friends who lifted your spirits. Their dedication helped shape the person you are today. Now, you have an opportunity to pay it forward.

How can you help?

• Mentor and encourage current students. Your experience, wisdom, and faith can guide them through challenges and help them navigate their career and spiritual journey.

• Support scholarships and programs. Financial gifts open doors for students who might otherwise be unable to pursue their calling.

• Pray for students and faculty. Spiritual support is a powerful foundation for growth and perseverance.

• Engage with campus events or online communities. Your presence and interest inspire students and foster a sense of family across generations.

When we invest in the next generation, we’re not only impacting individual lives—we’re helping shape communities, churches, workplaces, and the world. Your involvement builds a lasting heritage of faith, leadership, and service.

Reflect:

• Who in your life has been a mentor or guide? How did their example impact you?

• What gifts—time, wisdom, resources—can you offer to encourage current and future Pioneers?

• How might you prayerfully seek God’s direction to serve in this important role?

God’s Role in Making a Difference
It is important to remember that while we are called to teach and guide, it is ultimately God who works through us. Scripture reminds us that our efforts are not in vain when we yield to His power and purpose.

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” — 1 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV)

God allows us to be part of His plan, giving us the privilege and responsibility to make a difference in others’ lives. He equips us with the gifts, opportunities, and strength needed to influence the next generation. When we faithfully step forward in obedience and love, God multiplies our impact beyond what we can see or imagine.

May we trust Him to use our efforts to shape lives, foster faith, and build a legacy that honors Him for generations to come.

In the mix

 Seeking New Adventures: Help Us Bring WBU to You!

The WBU Alumni Association is always looking for new ways to connect with alumni and friends — and that means going beyond the familiar to explore fresh, creative, and meaningful opportunities to bring the Pioneer spirit to you!

Over the past year, our Blue & Gold Socials have become a favorite way to gather alumni, celebrate memories, and share what’s happening at ÁÔÆæÖØ¿ÚÊÓƵ today. From catching up over ballgames to hearing from inspiring alumni speakers, these events remind us that ÁÔÆæÖØ¿ÚÊÓƵ is more than a place — it’s a lifelong community.

Now, we’re dreaming bigger.

We want to take the next step and discover new adventures that help you stay connected, whether you're in Amarillo, Austin, Anchorage — or anywhere in between. Whether it’s regional gatherings, virtual meetups, family-friendly outings, service projects, or something we haven’t even thought of yet… we want your ideas.

 

What kinds of events or experiences would help you feel more connected to ÁÔÆæÖØ¿ÚÊÓƵ?

• Do you want more career networking or mentoring opportunities?

• Would you attend a WBU tailgate near your city?

• Interested in mission projects or alumni-led workshops?

• Want to help organize a regional meet-up in your area?

We believe the best ideas come from the people who know ÁÔÆæÖØ¿ÚÊÓƵ best — you.

Let’s build this next chapter of connection together.
Share your suggestions, volunteer to host, or just let us know you’re interested in bringing a Blue & Gold Social or other alumni event to your city!

Send your ideas to: [veraj@wbu.edu]
Stay in touch and see upcoming events at: /alumni-and-friends/events.htm

Together, let’s go where Pioneers go — forward.

 

 

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