Josephine Makil was born in 1932 in Colorado. She studied at Otero Community College, An early interest in missions led her to study at Moody Bible College. She practiced Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship at Moody and met her husband, Gaspar Taqueban Makil (from the Philippines). Josephine and Gaspar married in June 1959.
They were assigned as Wycliffe Bible Translators. Josephine became the first African American to join Wycliffe Bible Translators. Josephine and Gaspar had four children; Thomas, Carol, and twin girls, Janie Alberta & Jessie Monica. In 1962 they began working with the Roglai people in South Vietnam. In 1963 there was an escalation of the war in South Vietnam. Gaspar and their infant daughter, Janie Alberta, died in Vietnam during a Viet Cong traffic stop, both victims of gunfire.
Josephine and the three remaining children moved to Nasuli, Bukidnon, Philippines. In the Philippines, she continued Bible translation projects. She set up a preschool for missionary children. She also worked in medical outreach in remote places in the Philippine tribes.
In 1972, Josephine returned to the USA on furlough. She continued serving as an ESL teacher to the many Southeast Asians in Denver. In 1976, she returned to Dallas, Texas. She served as the Director of Early Childhood Program and at Wycliffe’s Dallas training school.
Josephine passed away on April 25, 2003.
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