Stephanie grew up in Mt. Bethel as Stephanie Premo. Following college graduation and their marriage, the Houghs were led to join AMI, a ministry that plants churches in many countries. They look first to places in the world making the news and that is why they sent Brad and Stephanie to the Kurdish northern province of Iraq. Their AMI team was invited to Iraq to teach English in a university in Kurdistan that wishes to become the first English only school in Iraq. This provides a strategic opportunity to share the love of Christ with the Kurds and win them from Islam.