Sarah was born to missionaries on Lubondai mission station in the Belgian Congo (now Congo DRC).  As a missionary kid, Sarah attended a mission boarding school and when the high school closed at the end of her 11th grade, she came to the U.S. to complete her senior year, leaving her parents behind in Congo.  Sarah attended Toccoa Falls College, Austin Community College and the University of Texas.

For 27 years, Sarah worked for the Texas Department of Human Services, programming the software for policies and rules, which determine the eligibility of clients to receive Food Stamps, AFDC, and Medicaid.  It was near the beginning of that time that she met and married Buddy Stranahan.  She is a longtime member of Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church, serving as an elder and actively working on Mission projects.  Among those, she served as coordinator for Interfaith Hospitality Network, volunteered at Manos de Cristo Dental Clinic and traveled with the church to Guatemala and Malawi.

In 2006, Sarah returned to Congo with six of her childhood friends and was able to reunite with lifelong friends and visit the places she lived.  Since this trip, Sarah and a friend return to Congo annually taking church mission groups through Rivers of the World, Congo-Kasai to experience, learn, and work there.

Sarah has been a part of developing MRC and is currently serving as Secretary/Treasurer on the Board.