[1] Otto Torvik was born at Romsdal in Bolsøy parish just east of Molde, Norway.
His father, Ingebrigt Taraldsen from Torvik in Romsdal, was a farmer and lay preacher.
His mother was sick when Torvik was born, and she prayed that his son would to be used in the service of God.
The missionary call grew in him and he continued to study at Fjellhaug Internasjonale Høgskole in Oslo which was run by the Norwegian Lutheran China Mission Association.
[3] Otto Torvik was married to Helene Wiebe (1908-1979), the descendant of Dutch and German immigrants, whom he met in Kyrgyzstan.