To the Ends of the Earth : Growing the Global Church [1 ed.] 9780834133532, 9780834132023

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Gammill

H

TO THE TO T H E E N D S O F T H E E A R T H

ow far can the gospel spread in the face of social injustice? When the Holy Spirit works, obstacles become opportunities, and the good news reaches far beyond any earthly barriers—to the ends of the earth. These are the stories of Christians who discovered just that in their miraculous journeys with God. In chapters that trace the development of the global Church of the Nazarene, you will meet international Christians who share the gospel in secret; an Indian evangelist who depends on God to overcome devastating poverty; a Polish believer who is saved from a life of meaninglessness to a ministry of hope; and Nazarene laymen who serve their international brothers and sisters through development work. Though their stories are radically different, each demonstrates God’s relentless love for the lost. In these unforgettable testimonies, you will gain a glimpse into how God grows his church through those who live out his Great Commission.

OF THE

GROWING THE GLOBAL CHURCH

RELIGION / Christian Ministry / Missions

Richard Gammill

TO THE OF THE

2014-15 NMI MISSION EDUCATION RESOURCES X X X

BOOKS FOR WHOSE SAKE I HAVE LOST ALL THINGS A Family’s Story of Sacrifice by Timothy R. Gaines MIRACLE The Power of Persistent Prayer by Robert and Frances Collins SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF BANGLADESH by Elaine Bumstead TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH Growing the Global Church by Richard Gammill THE UNSTOPPABLE CHURCH Stories of Persecuted Christians around the World by Spencer Baggott, Andrew Bennett, Dolphy Biswas, Timothy R. Eby, Dave and Rosie Kerr, Sylvia Potter, and Fletcher L. Tink UNDERGROUND Stories of the Persecuted Church in Africa by Howie Shute X X X

NEW ADULT MISSION EDUCATION CURRICULUM Living Mission The Unstoppable Church

TO THE OF THE

GROWING THE GLOBAL CHURCH

Richard Gammill

Nazarene Publishing House Kansas City, Missouri

Copyright 2014 Nazarene Publishing House © 2014 eISBN 978-0-8341-3353-2 Printed in the United States of America All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the publisher. If you have received this publication from any source other than an online bookstore, you’ve received a pirated copy. Please contact us at the Nazarene Publishing House and notify us of the situation.

Cover Design: Sharon Page Interior Design: Sharon Page All Scripture quotations not otherwise designated are from the Holy Bible, New International Version ® (NIV®). Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. In certain cases, names have been changed to protect the identities of the people involved.

DEDICATION Christians who are identified as the “persecuted church” inspire all followers of Jesus Christ to endure affliction; demonstrate fidelity; exhibit loyalty, and reveal courage. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. —Matthew 5:10-12

Richard Gammill, a retired Nazarene elder, has had a vision and love for world missions in general—and Nazarene world missions in particular— since he sat under the teaching of Dr. Paul Orjala at Nazarene Theological Seminary (NTS). During his years of pastoral service, Rich endeavored to make that vision central to the life and ministry of the churches he served.

CONTENTS Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction   1. Answered Prayer in Amritsar   2. Born out of Darkness   3. From Poverty to Ministry   4. Beaten but Unbowed   5. Beyond Ordinary   6. Christ Comes to a Searching Heart   7. From Noodles to Pancakes   8. Coffee with Benefits   9. Creative Tribulation 10. From the Operating Room to the Coffee Plantation For Further Information Notes

FOREWORD Richard Gammill has given his life as a disciple of Jesus and as a valiant servant in God’s unstoppable redemptive kingdom. Driven by a compassionate pastor’s heart, Rich has enthusiastically circled the globe in ministry. He has humbly connected with valiant missionaries and indigenous church leaders by staying in their homes, worshiping in their congregations, and walking in their world. Rich Gammill has incarnated a genuine deep devotion to God and a brokenhearted love for those around him. To the Ends of the Earth is a book about heroes of the faith. It is a modern-day reading of the kinds of persons described in the epistle to the Hebrews: Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. (Hebrews 11:36-38a)

I highly recommend this book for Christ-followers who are ready and willing to embark on a life-changing adventure. Believers who take Christ’s Great Commission seriously and are yearning to become “global Christians” will be inspired and changed by these amazing narratives. Reading To the Ends of the Earth will not always be easy because it will call us to deeper commitments and to a radical reprioritization of our time, our treasure, and our talents. During the last ten years, more than fifty persons have given their very lives as Christian martyrs just within the Church of the Nazarene global fellowship. Yet, in those very communities where their precious blood was spilt, clusters of new house churches have emerged! As we read this book, we will be reminded again and again that God’s global transforming movement around the world is truly unstoppable. This book will allow us to become acquainted with some of our heroic brothers and sisters—of whom “the world was not worthy”—and in the process, become similar disciples ourselves! —Dr. Jerry D. Porter General Superintendent, Church of the Nazarene

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Researching and writing these stories has been an inspiring project for me, and I am grateful to Dr. Daniel Ketchum, director of Nazarene Missions International, for giving me this opportunity. Thanks to editors Judith Perry and Gabriele Udell at Nazarene Publishing House for their patient helpfulness. Thanks to the subjects and sources of these stories who endured the necessary interviews. Since I did not have a travel budget, in most cases, except in India, I relied on Skype for face-to-face interviews. Thanks especially to Dr. Larry Hull, who worked with me through several revisions until we got the story right. Thanks also to the unnamed source who sent me several stories. Thanks to my son Brian Gammill, who blesses his father with constant encouragement of my postretirement missions and writing efforts.

Thanks to Frank Ball, founder and director of North Texas Christian Writers, for his teaching and helpful coaching. “Thanks” is hardly an adequate expression to these and others who have enriched my life by sharing their experiences and their faith. My prayer is that the readers of this little book will in turn be enriched by these insights into the lives of some of God’s wonderfully creative people. The reader will recognize the instances in which I used my informed imagination to fill in the gaps and help the reader experience the story. The facts as I received them have not been altered.

INTRODUCTION In North Texas, where I live, Christianity seems to be very popular. Within an hour’s drive from my home I can visit any of dozens of megachurches, each with membership in the thousands and facilities valued in the millions of dollars. In a setting like this, it can be hard to imagine all the places where just the opposite is true. These are places where Christianity is not only unpopular, but is vigorously and legally opposed. Where laws make evangelism difficult or illegal. Where Christian leaders are regularly jailed and accused of “coercive conversions.” Where pastors are convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to death. Where Christians cannot meet openly. Where the country’s constitution may guarantee freedom of religion, yet states have anticonversion laws. Where overwhelming social, political, and economic issues are so embedded in community life as to resist all efforts to bring improvement. Imagine those places where a convert who wishes to identify himself with the local Christian community must first apply to the local authorities and

endure a waiting period and much questioning before permission might be granted. Imagine a family whose son declares himself a Christian and whose father actually affixes a ball and chain to the young man’s ankle in the vain hope of preventing him from attending church. Imagine a country in which millions of citizens are turning to Christ, yet are allowed to join only those relatively few churches that meet government approval. Imagine a Christian congregation exercising its legal right to conduct services when it is suddenly invaded by local extremists who inflict bodily injuries and destroy church property. When the police finally appear, they take the pastor to jail to face charges brought by his accusers. What may be especially hard to imagine is why any Christian would willingly plant a church where these conditions exist. Or why a follower of Christ would leave the safety and comfort of his own country and take himself and his family to a “creative access” area where serving Christ is dangerous and difficult. Or why a business or professional person would take on the challenge of bringing help to these difficult places at considerable personal expense and effort. Are there not easier ways to follow one’s calling?

Three hundred years ago, Isaac Watts wrote a well-known hymn which asks the question, “Am I a Soldier of the Cross?” Must I be carried to the skies On flowery beds of ease, While others fought to win the prize, And sailed through bloody seas? Serving Christ and the church around the world today is a great host of people who have decided how they will answer that question: Sure I must fight if I would reign; Increase my courage, Lord. I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by Thy Word. Serving Christ today in difficult places often means abandoning traditional methods and using creative approaches to gain a hearing for the gospel. In fact, creativity might be the one common factor among Christ-followers who serve in wildly differing places using nontraditional methods of witness. These include those whom we label as “missionaries” (serving where they are identified as foreigners or expatriates), as well as those who serve in their own native community or another part of their own country (which can mean a different culture and different language from their own). It might be a lay professional who has found creative ways to serve by regularly “commuting” to a place far from his or her home.

They might be teachers or businesspeople or medical practitioners or other professionals. They might be leaders or employees of an NGO (nongovernmental organization). They are often living and serving in a country which does not grant visas to traditional “missionaries.” They might be freely open about why they are there and what they are doing. Or they might be restrained in their communications. When their stories are told, in some cases, the details can be partially or even freely shared. In many other cases, the details must be limited and obscured in order to assure their safety and enable them to continue in their place of service. The reader or listener must appreciate and respect these factors. These Christ-followers are not serving to gain our admiration. They often serve anonymously. They don’t seek glory for themselves. They seek to bring glory to the only One who deserves all glory. Even in those places where Christianity remains deeply unpopular, Christ is gaining the glory. In the words of the concluding stanza of Watt’s hymn: When that illustrious day shall rise, And all Thy armies shine In robes of victory through the skies, The glory shall be Thine.

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ANSWERED PRAYER IN AMRITSAR It was several minutes before I understood what had happened. I just knew I was in excruciating pain and could scarcely breathe. I raised my hand to my face, and it came back covered in blood. Inside the car was dark, but I could dimly make out the lifeless form of the driver in the seat next to me. Outside, I heard shouting and feet racing toward the car. With a loud crack, the passenger door jerked open. Hands reached in and grasped me by the shoulders and ankles, pulling me out and laying me on the pavement. I heard more shouts as they rescued my companions from the wreckage. Lying helplessly on my back, I couldn’t move to see what was happening. I lay in great pain on the side of the highway, my mind racing to sort out the situation. I was in Punjab, a state in northern India, where I’d spent three delightful days with a dedicated group of Nazarene pastors, speaking words of encouragement to them. Now I was the one who needed help.

Earlier that day, my three companions and I had journeyed to the Indo-Pakistani border to watch an impressive ceremony that takes place every afternoon. In front of hundreds, maybe thousands, of cheering citizens, handsome Indian soldiers resplendent in tall, fan-shaped headgear and shining boots march across the parade grounds with high-kicking steps, Indian flags in hand. After watching the ceremony, we returned to Amritsar to visit the incredible Golden Temple, the Sikhs’ holiest religious landmark. As darkness fell, we squeezed into a small cab to make the two-hour journey south to Ludhiana. For many years I’ve been enchanted by the story of Sadhu Sundar Singh, a famous Christian mystic from the last century. His home in Ludhiana has been converted into a Nazarene Church, and my friends and I were excited to visit and spend the night there. But it was not to be. Minutes after the accident, as we still lay dazed on the pavement, Pastor Amar’s cell phone rang. With trembling hands, Amar answered to hear the voice of Santosh Dongardive, literature director for the Church of the Nazarene in India. “I have a shipment of books to send you, and I need an address. . .” Santosh began. “Santosh!” shouted Amar. “Let me tell you what just happened!”

The car after the accident

Amar had scarcely finished describing our accident when the police arrived. They brought no ambulance with them; instead, the officers lifted me onto the slats of a narrow wooden bench in the back of their police van, where I held on tightly as we rattled down the road to the hospital. On the way back to Amritsar we stopped at a clinic, where nurses swathed my head in bandages. “What happened to the driver?” I asked. “He died,” one nurse curtly replied. She continued tending my wounds in silence. When we arrived at a hospital, three of us were taken to a bare-bones intensive care unit. From

across the room, I could see my good friend Prakash Nemade, vice principal and registrar of South Asia Nazarene Bible College. He appeared to be in great pain—from what I could see, his condition was much worse than mine. Pastor Fred was also in a nearby bed with a dislocated hip. Another patient lay on a soiled cot, tearing the air with her cries and groans. I tried to sleep amidst her wailing, but the machine next to me began making noises that wouldn’t stop. I painfully pulled myself off the bed and woke the attendant, who was sleeping across a pair of stiffbacked chairs. He grudgingly got up and turned off the machine, then returned to sleep, leaving me to pull myself back onto my bed. The next morning, the attendants carried me up five flights of stairs to another bed to await X-rays. Sometime later, the doctor came to me with my results. “You are very fortunate,” he said. “No broken ribs.” Though it sounded like good news, I wondered how it could be true—I was still in terrible pain and having difficulty breathing. The hospital was nothing like an American facility. I was barely covered with a thin sheet, and my bed was so hard that despite my pain, I crawled over to pull the mattress off an adjoining bed and added it to mine. The crude facilities made me fear for Prakash’s safety when he was taken to surgery with a broken leg and arm.

The next day, I awoke to see my son Brian standing over me. The wave of joy that swept over me overwhelmed the ache I felt as I reached to embrace him. I learned that after speaking to Amar, Santosh had quickly called Sunil Dandage, India Field Director, in Bangalore. He called Brian, in Hyderabad,1 and the two met to find us in Amritsar. But my son was not the only visitor I received that day. Soon after Brian arrived, a distinguishedlooking stranger appeared at my bedside. He looked around at our surroundings with complete disgust, then said determinedly, “We must get you men out of here.” With that, he left. I didn’t see him again. The next morning, thanks to the mysterious visitor’s initiative, Brian helped me down the five flights of stairs and into a waiting ambulance. When we arrived at the new hospital, the care we received was a gift from heaven. As I had suspected, a new set of X-rays showed I had six broken ribs. The doctors also discovered that Prakash’s surgeries were badly botched and would have to be repeated. That night, as I tried to sleep, I was gripped with fits of uncontrollable choking and coughing. The doctors soon discovered that my chest cavity had filled with fluid which would drown me if I lay down. If I were to sleep, I would have to do so sitting up. The Punjabi pastors to whom I had ministered came to visit us, and many spent hours or even days

with us. Most of them spoke little English, but conveyed enormous encouragement with their unspoken love and prayers. As I was still rejoicing to see my fellow pastors, Brian brought his laptop to my bed. For the first time in days, I could connect to my world back home. I posted a note on Facebook, wrote e-mails, and immediately began hearing from friends all over the world. Never in my life had I experienced such overwhelming support and encouragement. Yet as the day approached to leave the hospital and return to Hyderabad, I was terrified. “I don’t know how I can do this,” I told Brian. “I’m still choking, coughing, and gagging so violently. They’ll throw me off the train!” But we couldn’t afford to delay our journey. I wrote again to my friends and asked them to pray for us. A few days later, when we left the hospital at 4:00 a.m., I didn’t know what to expect. The train left at 5:00 a.m., and from there it was a six-hour ride to Delhi. After spending a few additional hours in Delhi, we boarded the two-hour flight to Hyderabad and finally arrived at Brian’s apartment at 8:00 p.m. It had been sixteen long hours, but in a miraculous answer to prayer, I never once coughed or choked throughout the day.

Before I flew back to the United States, I spent a week in Brian’s apartment, which was on the same floor as his office. He has a graphics staff of about thirty-five people, half of whom are Christians, half Hindu. Hindu and Christian alike, they had all been praying for me. As I talked with Brian’s staff, I learned that his payroll manager, upon learning of our accident, had contacted a colleague in Delhi, who then called the principal of a large Christian school in Amritsar. The principal had been the mysterious visitor who visited us in the hospital and arranged our transfer. In this way, God used faithful people we had never met to help us in our time of trouble. Soon after I arrived in Hyderabad with Brian, Prakash was transferred to the Nazarene hospital in Washim, his hometown, where he spent two months in further surgery and rehabilitation. Today, a slight limp is the only evidence that remains of his devastating injuries. Time has passed since the accident that changed our lives and disrupted our travels in India. Though my ribs are still sore, my heart warms when I remember the marvelous ways God answered our prayers during those trying weeks. Today, the Nazarene pastors in northern India continue to faithfully proclaim the grace of God. One of the pastors has moved far from his home to

study at South India Biblical Seminary. There, he and his family are learning English and receiving training to advance their ministry. The prayers of many people—some we knew, and some we didn’t—protected me and my companions and helped us recover from our injuries. In the same way, prayer will protect all those who faithfully preach the gospel amidst trial and danger. “He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” —2 Corinthians 1:10-11

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BORN OUT OF DARKNESS Night after night they came with frightening, relentless attacks—fearsome creatures with scowling faces and sharp teeth that roared into Maharaju’s consciousness. They would not be appeased. Though Maharaju was just a boy, the demons assailed him every night. Worse, they were an inescapable part of the cultural landscape of his native India. Their images were everywhere, promising protection to worshipers who gained their favor. To anger them would only invite calamity. But one day, he saw a small ray of hope. Maharaju had heard the name Jesus before, and though he knew little about the deity of the Christians, Maharaju had heard that he was powerful. In some ways, it seemed foolish to believe that a dying, crucified creature with blood running down his body could defeat the forces that plagued his existence, but even so, Maharaju made a decision: The next time they come, I will call on the name of Jesus.

The next attack came that night. This time the boy cried out, “Jesus, please help me!” As soon as he uttered the words, a great peace settled over him, and he slept through the rest of the night. The experience gave Maharaju hope and left him with a love for Jesus, though he still knew little about him. He was also uncertain whether Jesus had enough power to ultimately prevail against those familiar demons. Their multiple hands carried cruel weapons, and they knew how to use them. Many times Maharaju thought, Jesus brings me some peace, but does he have the power to overcome my fear? X X X

Maharaju’s struggle continued for two years, during which he often felt he was being chased, captured, or choked. Repeating the name of Jesus calmed him, but his tormenters always returned the next night. He often pictured the crucified Christ and wondered at the helplessness of the dying deity. Look at Jesus—he is suffering himself! How could he possibly help me in my suffering? But in the midst of his doubts, he continued crying out, “Jesus, help me!” each time he felt the demons encroaching. As the months passed, his fears miraculously began to diminish, until finally, the

nightmares ended. The Jesus he barely knew had delivered him from his fears once and for all. However, the demons’ departure did not mean the end of his suffering. Life had not been kind to Maharaju. He was born to his father’s second wife, who died when Maharaju was only four years old, and his father continued living with his first family after his second wife died. Maharaju and his younger brother Venkanna were left in the care of their older brother and sister, who favored their own children and treated Maharaju and Venkanna like slaves. Village life on the coast of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh was primitive and difficult. Maharaju tended buffalo to support the family, but his older siblings kept all his meager earnings. He never attended school until he was ten years old, when his father helped him and Venkanna gain entrance into a government school. There, they lived in a hostel, and their extreme poverty invited abuse from other students. A village temple stood nearby, but they found no refuge there—the priest would not allow them to enter the temple or even use the village well. But Maharaju wanted to learn more about this Jesus who had defeated his tormenters. After some time, he found a Christian teacher in a local college. The teacher explained the Way to him, and after learning more about the One who had delivered him from evil, Maharaju came to Christ at the age of sixteen.

Despite his newfound joy in Christ, Maharaju struggled to complete intermediate school. He and his brother were penniless, lived in a dilapidated hut, and often went without food. Some of the school staff learned of the boys’ situation and occasionally brought them food and coins. But the occasional charity they received was not enough to keep them from starving. Desperate for income, Maharaju worked at a vegetable stand until the business failed. He spent many nights sleeping on a sheet of cardboard at the side of a road while loud traffic whizzed by. Occasionally someone gave him food, for which he thanked God. In the midst of his hardships, Maharaju was devastated to learn that he had failed his intermediate exams. At the lowest point of his despair, he left town and walked into the jungle, resolved to stay there and let the elements kill him. But instead of death, Maharaju found missionaries in the jungle. As they witnessed to the area’s tribal people, the missionaries’ sacrificial service and witness gave him new hope. He decided to keep trying. Jesus defeated my demons, he thought. He will help me with my studies. Maharaju completed tenth grade and worked for the school principal by milking cows and doing odd jobs around the school property. The principal was so impressed with Maharaju’s diligence that he .

helped him enroll in a two-year electrician course at the local technical college. After his graduation from technical school, Maharaju found a job as maintenance manager at Riverside School, a private Christian school in Mori, a small village on the Andhra Pradesh coast. There he met Brian and Sarah Gammill, a Nazarene couple who worked at the school. Brian, administrator of the school, noticed how Maharaju brightened the campus with his joyous demeanor. Maharaju was more than a hard worker— Brian perceived that Maharaju was growing as a true follower of Jesus Christ. Upon Brian’s invitation, Maharaju enrolled in Brian’s leadership training center. There, Maharaju learned biblical and purposeful approaches to discipleship, leadership, and service. After they had served at Riverside School for nearly two years, Brian and Sarah decided to move to the state capital, Hyderabad, to join the staff of a Christian ministry called Harvest Foundation. Soon after they left, Maharaju packed everything he owned into one piece of luggage, caught a bus, and rode home. He stayed only one day. When he arrived, Maharaju found his brother Venkanna and told him, “I am going into the Lord’s service. Where I will live, I don’t know. How I will

eat, I don’t know. I only know that God wants me to serve him.” From there, Maharaju went to a nearby village and rented a room for fifty rupees1 a month. It had no water or electricity—only a blanket on the floor. He bought a package of Christian tracts, borrowed a bicycle, and went throughout the village proclaiming the gospel of Jesus to anyone who would listen. After a few weeks, Brian found Maharaju and asked him to join their ministry with the Harvest Foundation in Hyderabad. At first, Maharaju was adamant. “Brian, I can’t do that,” he said firmly. “There are so many people here who don’t know about Jesus.” But Brian was firm as well. “If you come with us to Hyderabad, I will get you into Bible training that will enable you to better serve the Lord.” Maharaju stopped to consider about Brian’s words. Finally, he replied, “I will go with you. But when I am trained, I must return here.” At Brian and Sarah’s house, Maharaju found a bedroom already prepared for him. Though he was grateful for their hospitality, he was horrified to discover that they had prepared him a mattress covered with pure white sheets. He was ashamed at the very thought of his brown skin touching such whiteness; he thought he wasn’t worthy. It seemed better when he covered the cot with a dark blanket.

Once she saw what he was doing, Sarah protested, “Maharaju, it’s too hot for you to sleep with that blanket. Use the sheets. You’ll like sleeping above the floor.” After a few nights of getting used to it, Maharaju admitted that sleeping on a bed under a cool sheet was comfortable. In the same way, the longer he stayed in Gammills’ home, the more Maharaju shed the slave mentality that had become ingrained in him as a child. For the first time, he was part of a wholesome, integrated family where no one member wielded power over the others. By watching the love the Gammills showed to each other and to him, he gained an idea of the joys of Christian family life. As he became part of the Gammills’ daily life, Maharaju also began learning English by watching the videos in Brian’s library. As he watched film adaptations of the lives of Jacob, Moses, Ruth, Samson, David, Solomon, Peter, and Paul, Maharaju discovered new depths of the grace of God. One day, Brian sent Harvest Foundation interns into local villages to do discipleship training with the villagers. In one village, they met a young woman named Padma who had lost both her mother and father. One intern asked Maharaju, “Will you marry Padma?” When he heard her story, Maharaju was overcome with compassion. “Yes,” he answered. “I will marry her.”

When Maharaju returned to the Gammills’ to seek help in fulfilling his promise, Brian went to the village and negotiated with Padma’s uncles for the marriage. The uncles argued loudly with Brian, angry at the prospect of an intercaste marriage since they themselves intended to keep Padma’s small inheritance of land. But Brian prevailed on Maharaju’s behalf, and the wedding date was set. Within days, Maharaju and Padma, still barely acquainted, were joined in marriage. Soon afterward, Sarah and the Gammills’ two small daughters returned temporarily to Oregon, and Maharaju and Padma moved in with Brian. One evening, as Brian and Maharaju drove to the train station to board the overnight express to Bangalore2 for an appointment the next morning, they arrived at the station only to see the train pulling away. There was nothing to do but jump back in Brian’s old jeep and head for Bangalore. Several hours into their journey along desolate roads, Brian fell asleep at the wheel. The truck driver saw the jeep swerving, and though he frantically tried to stop, there wasn’t enough time. The head-on impact crushed the jeep. When they heard the crash, workers from a nearby factory ran to the scene and pulled Brian from the car. Brian, dazed, saw Maharaju still trapped inside and feared he was dead. Their rescuers frantically pried

open the passenger door and laid Brian and Maharaju, both badly injured, on the edge of the pavement. Suddenly, a miracle occurred. An unbidden ambulance, returning empty from a hospital several miles south, appeared along the deserted road. The paramedics transported Brian and Maharaju to the hospital, where a surgeon placed a rod in Maharaju’s broken leg and treated Brian’s multiple head and limb injuries. Once their injuries were no longer dangerous, the two men were shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad. When they heard the shocking news of the accident, Sarah, the girls, and Brian’s father immediately flew to India and remained in Hyderabad for two months while Brian and Maharaju recuperated. Brian moved the Harvest Foundation office into an apartment on the other side of Hyderabad, then left for Phoenix. Maharaju and Padma settled into the apartment. For two years, Maharaju and Padma lived amid extreme poverty in the neighborhood surrounding their apartment. Though the suffering they saw on a daily basis could have been discouraging, Maharaju and Padma believed they were there for a reason. Somehow, God intended to use them in the lives of broken people. In anticipation of that purpose, Padma sold the small pots, pans, and serving utensils she had received as wedding gifts and replaced them

with larger vessels so they could share meals with their neighbors.

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FROM POVERTY TO MINISTRY After two years, because of a lack of funds, Brian was forced to close the Harvest Foundation office in Hyderabad. Maharaju and Padma, who now had no means of supporting themselves, moved into an apartment on the outskirts of the city. Their new apartment had no furnishings—nothing. Despite their meager accommodations, Maharaju believed he and Padma had been placed there to serve God. He left their apartment at 9:00 each morning and spent the next eight hours distributing evangelistic tracts, sharing the gospel, and praying with people. Occasionally he cleaned a house for ten rupees an hour and used the money he earned to buy tracts. On Sundays he preached to small gatherings of people; then he and Padma fed them a meal. Their hardship lasted for eighteen months. Maharaju went frequently into the nearby hills and prayed, often with tears and a broken heart. He cried

out for God to provide for them in their time of need. He asked God to be merciful to Padma, who was now expecting a baby. Their suffering was real, but so was their love and joy in the midst of it. They couldn’t afford medicine for Padma, and one day, they ran out of money for food. Maharaju retreated once more to the hillside, filled with despair at his inability to feed his wife and their unborn child. Still, he sought help from the Lord. Maharaju was deep in prayer when God spoke to him in a vision. Though he couldn’t see God’s face, he heard his voice asking, “Maharaju, are you going to continue in my ministry?” After a moment of silence, God spoke to him again. “Maharaju, others will support you. Are you going to continue in my ministry?” Filled with a sudden surge of renewed faith, Maharaju shouted out his answer: “Yes!” The Lord’s message was clear. He and Padma were called to concern themselves with their ministry, not money. When Maharaju returned to their apartment, he found an unfamiliar woman waiting for him at the door. With no introduction, the stranger said to him, “Maharaju, your message must go far beyond this neighborhood. There are many more who need to hear it.” In that moment, Maharaju knew the woman’s words came from God himself. As he visualized the

teeming populations that lie in and beyond Hyderabad, Maharaju felt his anticipation growing. “I will do it!” he said. The woman left just as suddenly as she had appeared. Maharaju rushed inside to tell Padma of all that had happened. As they talked about how to focus more fully on their ministry, Maharaju told her, “I don’t have the training to do any more than I am doing now. We must figure out how to further my education so we can better serve God.” In January, Maharaju decided that his ministry must become an independent legal entity with its own name. One midnight he had a vision of a hand writing white letters against a dark sky: “Mahima Ministries.” On March 29, 2005, in Padma’s seventh month of pregnancy, he overcame enormous bureaucratic hurdles and successfully registered his organization with the Indian government. A few days later, Brian sent Maharaju an e-mail from the Harvest Foundation headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. “I have been hired to open a publications office in Hyderabad,” he wrote. “I can give you a job if you will go for the training. I will be there in a couple of weeks.” The publications office was the initiative of Mike Howell, a fellow member of Crossroads Church of the Nazarene in Arizona. Mike had asked Brian about opening an office in India for his company, Best Ap-

proach Publications (BAP). By providing jobs for Hyderabad locals, Mike hoped to use his business as a ministry. After Brian arrived in Hyderabad, he spent a month interviewing dozens of prospective employees and locating office space for BAP. Once Brian found it, Maharaju prepared the facility’s plumbing, electrical wiring, computer networking, and furniture. He and Padma moved into an apartment in the same building, and their daughter Selah was born May 13, the same day Brian flew back to the United States. Soon afterward, God again spoke to Maharaju through a dream—this time, it was a dream with three parts. First, Maharaju saw crowds of idol-worshiping people coming toward him. He heard the words, Receive these people with this message: there is healing in the name of Jesus. More people came—poor people with deadly diseases. The message came again: There is healing in the name of Jesus. In the third scene, he saw people crowded into a home. They were people without peace of mind, tormented by false spirits, and they stood facing Maharaju. He heard the message again: Tell them to come here in the name of Jesus! What did it mean? Their small apartment had no room for such gatherings. Besides, Maharaju

thought, that kind of ministry was only for very godly people—Christian leaders with far greater abilities and resources. He searched his heart, asking, Why am I having these dreams? This can’t be for me. Nonetheless, with the dream in mind, he embarked upon an ambitious course of study. He completed a six-month course in computer network technology, thus securing his position with BAP. Afterward, he enrolled in Ambedkar University and completed his Bachelor of Arts, then obtained a Master of Arts in Public Personnel Management from Osmania University. At the same time, he took evening classes at Andhra Christian Theological College and earned a Master of Divinity degree. Throughout it all, he kept the systems running at BAP. Maharaju’s income from BAP soon lifted his family out of extreme poverty. Finally, when they moved from their apartment into a house, the meaning of his dreams became clear. Maharaju found some elderly people who had been abandoned on the streets and took them to his house to care for them. Soon, three people were living with them and eating at their table. As more people came to him for help, Maharaju rented a 1,200-square-foot house and moved seven elderly people there, bought their groceries, and hired a young man to look after them. With that, Mahima Ministries was in business.

The ministry grew rapidly. In 2010, Mahima Ministries started a school for AIDS orphans with an enrollment of forty-five children and three teachers. To accommodate their growing numbers, Maharaju rented a large house with two additional side-by-side apartments. He housed the children and women on one side, and elderly people and HIV patients on the other side. By the summer of 2011, they were caring for eight elderly residents, nine HIV patients, and seven children of HIV patients. Soon Mahima Ministries was housing and educating eighty-three orphans. The cost of rent, food, clothing, school supplies, and salaries for those ministries amounted to tens of thousands of rupees monthly. “Where do the funds come from?” people would ask. “God provides,” Maharaju would say with a shrug. In 2007, at the same time Mahima Ministries was beginning, Maharaju’s brother Venkanna began following his own call to ministry. He moved to Vikarabad, a small city of southwest of Hyderabad, and with 2,000 rupees of monthly support from Mahima Ministries, evangelized and pastored full-time. Venkanna established small groups of new Christian believers in four villages, and over time, a total of more than forty converts from Hinduism came to Christ. At the end of 2011, Mahima Ministries received a donation of $5,000, which enabled Maharaju to purchase a parcel of rural land for Venkanna’s minis-

try. The half-acre lot, located at the crossroads of four villages, provided the new Christians with a central place of worship. Just days after they received the deed to the property, the congregation constructed a simple, sturdy building made of bamboo. Out of the same donation, Maharaju also purchased a larger property several miles away and transformed it into a community development center. The adjacent two-acre government-owned parcel was made available for the center’s use, and large cisterns were delivered to the site. Once they received the water storage, Maharaju and his partners developed a plot of dormitories made of bamboo and tarps, and scores of orphaned children, homeless elderly people, and AIDS patients moved onto the property.

First church building on the new property

As the surrounding communities watched the work of Mahima Ministries, people began to come with donations of food and clothing, as well as other

assistance. Though the aid was a blessing, the ministry desperately needed more staff. Together, Brian and Maharaju began to pray that someone would come to help them. Just two weeks later, God led a Christian couple from another part of Andhra Pradesh to Hyderabad. After meeting Maharaju, the couple joined the ministry staff and served tirelessly, focusing on providing spiritual care and guidance to those they served. God continued to provide for the ministry. Soon, an engineering firm of 600 employees volunteered to help sponsor Mahima. The employees constructed a cement-block dormitory to house 100 people, and after they had replaced the bamboo dormitories, came on weekends to assist with the care of the residents. Brian’s sister-in-law, an elementary school principal in Colorado, challenged her school to find ways to help Mahima Ministries’ orphanage. Over time, the children raised $1,400 and sent it to Mahima just as the government gave the ministry a worthless, boulder-strewn plot of land in Hyderabad. The donation enabled Maharaju and his partners to build a cement-block dormitory on the property, and the orphanage moved out of its rented facility. As their ministry flourished, the Lord continued to give Maharaju and Padma rewarding challenges. Twice, the couple opened their front door to find a newborn baby left on the step. One was blind, and

the other had a double cleft palate. Surgery repaired the cleft palate, and Maharaju and Padma now help raise the babies. Today, Mahima Ministries continues to grow— there are no boundaries to Maharaju’s God-given vision. With every new challenge that arises, Maharaju, Padma, and their ministry partners faithfully live out the endless love of Jesus.

four

BEATEN BUT UNBOWED The overhead fans slowly beat against hot air that was heavy with humidity. From the pulpit, Pastor Atul surveyed the expectant faces of his congregation. He spoke with quiet intensity, his heart pounding with anticipation. “I returned here, to my home city,” Pastor Atul began, “because I knew God was leading me here. I knew there was risk in coming here and preaching the gospel of Christ. Many are bitterly opposed to what we are doing and would do anything to stop us.” Atul paused. “But I also knew there were many in this city ready to embrace the good news of Christ. Now, we rejoice in what God is doing among us.” Shouts of “amen” affirmed his words. Joyous singing broke out, accompanied by the rhythm of drums. Hands reached toward heaven, and sounds of rejoicing flowed out of the open windows. Undoubtedly, neighbors who already hated Christianity would grow even more infuriated.

They did not meet in a church building, but rather in a large rented hall in a small city near the center of India. Within the district’s population of 4.2 million, the entire Christian community numbered only 6,000. Despite the relatively small number of Christians, the Hindus in the district regarded them as a threat to society, rabble-rousers who upset the social order that had been upheld for thousands of years. Although India’s constitution proclaimed freedom of religion, communities believed otherwise, and local authorities provided little protection for vulnerable Christian churches. When Christians reported incidents of harassment, local leaders countered the complaints with charges of “coercive conversion.” After his graduation from a Bible college in Bangalore, Atul had returned here, to his home city, where he had been raised in a Christian family that taught him to rely upon God for his needs. That trust had been lived out for him every morning at 4:00 a.m., when his mother went before God to pray. His mother prayed for her family, her church, and her community that was so fiercely resistant to the Christian message. Her faithful intercession strengthened Atul throughout his studies—lacking any financial assistance, Atul had worked full-time as manager of the university food service throughout college. Despite the challenges, Atul graduated in four years at the top of his class.

Atul had expected to begin pastoring as soon as he returned home, but instead, he received discouraging responses from the leaders of his denomination. “All our churches are well served by their pastor,” they told him. “It will be several years before there is an opening for you.” Though Atul was disappointed, he would not be deterred. He began evangelizing on his own, empowered by the faithful prayers of his mother and the support of his family and a few friends. Ignoring the opposition, he relentlessly took his message to anyone who would listen. Over several months, many people embraced his message, and soon, Atul led a fellowship of 150 converts from Hinduism. Atul knew the value of working with a larger community of believers, so when he discovered the Church of the Nazarene, he was delighted. In 2008, he was ordained as a Nazarene minister. His congregation grew, and as it did so, their ministry drew increasing attention. But as the church’s witness increased, so did the tension in the surrounding community. One Sunday morning, two young men lingered after the service. No one in the church knew them, and they had many questions. After several minutes of questioning, they left abruptly. Atul felt a nagging sense of foreboding as he closed up the building. “I think those men mean trouble,” he told his assistant as they mounted his motorcycle and headed

home. They drove only a few blocks before they were stopped by a mob of angry people. “Are you the one who is preaching about Jesus Christ?” one of the young men asked harshly. Atul turned to face his accuser. “Yes, that is right,” he said boldly. One man’s lip curled in anger. “You are praying with our people?” he shouted. Atul refused to back down. “They are not your people. I am their pastor; they asked me to pray with them.” Crack! Without warning, the first blow struck the back of his head. The angry mob of two-dozen men closed in on Atul and his friend, many of them with clubs in their hands. More blows pummeled the young pastor as blood spurted from his broken nose, soaking the front of his clothes. He collapsed in a heap, barely conscious. Do they intend to kill us both? he wondered. When they were finally satisfied with the damage they had inflicted, the mob drifted away, shouting threats of further violence. Someone found Atul and carried him to the hospital, but he received little sympathy there, and after a few hours of minimal treatment, he was released. Atul filed a report with the local police, but the authorities took no action. Word of the attack created a sensation in the city. When the owner of their rented meeting space

learned what had happened, he was frightened. “You must go,” he ordered angrily. “I cannot allow you to keep meeting here!” The small church wondered what would happen next. Though Atul could have pressed charges, members of the congregation feared that doing so would only incite more attacks. Determined not to be defeated, Atul’s people prayed and fasted, searching for God’s direction. Since they had no place to meet together, the congregation gathered in several small homes and continued to lead others to faith in Christ. Driven more than ever to rely upon God’s protection, they prayed for increased boldness. Pastor Atul declared, “It is a privilege to share in the sufferings of Christ.” The attack upon Atul only intensified his people’s sense of mission. The threats against the church continue—and so does the church’s outreach. In two years following the attack, the church’s membership grew to 400, and they began eleven groups around the city. New leaders are rising up and being discipled. Reflecting on the church’s mission in their city, one young woman testified, “I am so grateful this church brought me to faith in Christ and delivered me from Hinduism. I bring all my needs to God in prayer, and he answers me. Now I pray that all my family will come to know Jesus as their Savior.”

Today, Pastor Atul’s church continues to grow. And every morning at 4:00, his mother kneels in prayer, petitioning God for favor on those entrusted to her son’s care.

five

BEYOND ORDINARY Chinara pulled her coat more tightly around her shivering body as snow swirled past her. The bus pulled up to the curb, its headlights penetrating the early morning darkness. When the door opened, Chinara greeted the driver by name, dropped her token into the box, and took her seat. As the bus moved through the city streets, Chinara thought about how unqualified she was for the role she had accepted. Her sense of inadequacy drove her to leave her warm bed early every morning and travel to the place of prayer. She smiled to herself at the absurdity of it all. At least I am in good company, she thought. Acts 4:13 says the disciples were also ordinary, unschooled men who had been with Jesus. She was an ordinary woman in her fifties, a widow retired from government service, when she was introduced to faith in Jesus Christ. She discov-

ered that he was the one for whom she had yearned all of her life—the one who brought peace to her searching heart. She joined a small group of believers who banded together to start a new church called “Nazarene.” The term was entirely unfamiliar in her Central Asian country, since the nearest Nazarene church was 2,000 miles away. Her church had been planted by a Nazarene from another country who led the group long enough to secure a property and move them into a building. Chinara cringed each time she remembered the shock and disappointment she had felt when he left. The church had become very important to her and to her children and grandchildren. What would they do now? Would God provide them with the pastor they needed? Though there was little heat inside the bus, Chinara’s heart warmed with the memory of the Nazarene physician who had arrived in their city with his wife and two young daughters. Is this family the answer to our prayers? she had wondered. He was a highly trained doctor, but had no experience or training as a church planter. He had delivered many babies; now Chinara and her church asked him to care for their baby church. Dr. Brown had agreed to consider their request. A few years earlier, the Browns had applied to the Church of the Nazarene for missionary service.

When he and his wife attended the screening conference, they learned that because of his medical training, the only assignment available to him was a traditional role at a health facility. Dr. Brown told the board, “I know that community health evangelism is crucial. But God has gifted me in teaching, and I feel he is calling me to that.” After the conference, Dr. Brown traveled to Central Asia to visit a partnership between Christian missionary doctors and the commonwealth’s Ministry of Health. In this organization, the Christian doctors taught local doctors who had been trained in the Soviet system of highly specialized practice about how to practice family medicine. Though external development organizations paid for the program, each Christian doctor raised his or her own personal support. The model gave Dr. Brown an idea. Dr. Brown returned to the world mission department with his proposal. “I realize this is a very unusual request,” he said, “but would you appoint us to a place where the Church of the Nazarene is not yet present if we raise our own support?” Such an approach was unprecedented, but the church agreed, and the Browns joined the missionary council of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Their first year there was devoted to learning the language and culture. Dr. Brown and five of his

colleagues began training sixty doctors, who in turn taught comprehensive health care to 2,500 doctors across the country. Though Dr. Brown’s teaching load was considerable, he and his wife sensed God calling them primarily to share their faith in this country that had so recently emerged from the darkness of Communist rule. So when Chinara’s young congregation asked for his help, Dr. Brown agreed to become their pastor. The congregation understood that Dr. Brown’s commitment was no small matter. When he delivered a baby, he turned it over to its mother for all the care it needed. Conversely, this infant church had been delivered into his hands—and asked everything of him! Chinara sensed the weight of Dr. Brown’s responsibility, and she was determined to help in any way she could. Chinara’s thoughts returned to the present as she stepped off the bus and walked to the church. She hoped there would be heat in the building this morning. As she entered the church, her thoughts drifted back to all the reasons why prayer was now so important to her. The beginning of Dr. Brown’s leadership had brought many challenges. He asked one of the church’s members to serve as pastor and named another member director of compassionate ministries. But he soon came to regret the decision. Con-

flict over roles raged for two years and threatened the very existence of the church. The church survived, however, and the remaining group of leaders prayed for God to reveal the next step. The first time Chinara took communion, she had been so new to the faith that she had no idea what the sacrament meant. But as she grew in her love for Christ, the shedding of his blood and breaking of his body became all-important to her. One day, Dr. Brown spoke to her. “Chinara, I have been watching you grow in your Christian walk,” he said. “Frankly, I am amazed at how rapidly you have matured. I see in you the qualities we look for in a pastor. My wife and I have been praying about it, and we’d like to you consider serving as the pastor of this church.” Once she got over her shock, Chinara made up her mind—she would not disappoint those who trusted her. She consented to the responsibility. Though the challenges she faced were daunting, she enrolled in a ministerial course of study and worked hard. When the Soviet Union broke up, Chinara’s country had emerged from nearly one hundred years of brutal Communist rule. Soon, only vestiges of Communism remained, and overt materialism took its place. Islam had a strong influence on the culture, and Christianity was dismissed as both a western religion and an illegitimate lifestyle. Those who declared themselves

followers of Christ stood in radical defiance of the cultural norms. But for Christians, a healthy fear of God overrode any fear of the government. The hostile environment presented many obstacles. Prayer was not just an option; it was a necessity if the church were to survive. Chinara believed that God had called her into ministry, and when she struggled with discouragement, God held her steady to her purpose. Chinara opened the church doors at 7:00 every morning to pray with whoever might join her. Scripture formed the foundation of their prayers. Morning after morning, the worshipers lifted up prayers of praise and intercession; prayers for deliverance, healing, and release from bondage; and prayer for the salvation of the lost. People from her church and other churches came to pray. Chinara became known as a woman of prayer, and as Chinara’s reliance upon God increased, so did her wisdom and assurance. She began as a co-pastor with Dr. Brown, but as her confidence increased, his role decreased until finally, he took his place in the pews. Chinara was ordained as a Christian minister in 2011. The leadership model Chinara had seen in her culture was top-down and highly authoritarian. As both a woman and a pastor, such an approach simply did not work for her. Instead, prayer molded her into

a gentle, compassionate leader who inspired people to trust and follow her as she followed Christ. Chinara knew that neither the church nor its property belonged to her; it was God’s church, and he would care for his people. As Chinara knelt at the altar, she thought about the many ways God had strengthened and guided her through the problems she brought before him in prayer. Internal conflicts jeopardized the unity of the body, false teachings created confusion, and the church members’ relationships with their Muslim friends and family required sensitive guidance. But throughout it all, prayer guided Chinara’s leadership. Other challenges were external. Corrupt officials turned off the church’s gas supply, demanded new documentation, and extorted payments for unknown offenses. The church’s right to exist was continually challenged. At one point, the church members were locked out of their own building and forced to meet in homes for six months. But in the midst of their challenges, God worked miracles. A man with a severe drinking problem attended the church, and one day, when Dr. Brown was away, the man experienced a crisis that required immediate intervention. Chinara and Mrs. Brown rushed him to a rehabilitation facility, and the church prayed for him every morning during his six months of treatment. The Sunday after his release, the man

came to church with his entire family and surrendered his life to Jesus. From that day on, the former alcoholic became one of the most faithful members of the church. Sometime later, a Korean Nazarene minister came to serve as Chinara’s assistant. His service enabled the church to increase their outreach, and eventually, plant daughter churches. Young pastors heard God’s call, and Chinara prayed with them, serving as their mentor and supervisor. Over time, the church also established a summer camp for children. Today, one of Chinara’s grandsons pastors a group of youth and young adults. In the beginning, the struggling church relied entirely upon funding from the Church of the Nazarene. Tithing was a foreign concept. As the treasurer, Mrs. Brown was required to decide which needs should be prioritized with the funds they received. When she first suggested to Chinara that the church adopt a budget, Chinara asked, “What is a budget?” Now the church is completely self-supporting. The members tithe, and the pastor’s salary and all church expenses are provided by local income. At Christmastime, the church provides gifts and aid to the needy through special giving. Over time, God’s blessing upon Chinara’s leadership has produced a mature body of believers.

After twelve years of service, the Browns returned to the United States to prepare for a new assignment. Though they and their children now pursue God’s call in different ways, their hearts have never left the country where they saw God change lives and bring hope to places where hope was hard to find. A pastor in Central Asia gets off the bus early every morning, walks to her church, and kneels at the altar, praying for the Browns, her church, and her country. Though she may appear to be an ordinary follower of Jesus, she is an extraordinary leader of Christ’s people as they make disciples in their nation.

six

CHRIST COMES TO A SEARCHING HEART Mary, a young Asian girl, was devastated when tragedy struck her family. It was dangerous and difficult to embrace religious faith in a country committed to dialectical materialism. But someone presented the gospel to her family, and despite the risks, they responded with hope. Mary’s grandfather told his family, “I believe Jesus Christ truly is the one our hearts are longing for. I found peace when I put my faith in him. Now I want to be baptized.” With her grandfather leading the way, Mary’s family examined the claims of Christianity. On the day her grandfather entered the baptismal waters, they rejoiced together. Afterward, Mary told him, “Grandfather, I believe in Jesus, and I too want to be baptized.” But it was not to be. The next day, her grandfather fell ill and passed into the arms of Jesus. Shocked and angered, Mary and her family rejected Christi-

anity. “What kind of God would take Grandfather from us just when he declared his faith?” they asked. “Besides, it’s politically unsafe for us to follow Jesus. Why would any of us want to be baptized?” But years later, when Mary began college, she was forced to acknowledge that her deep spiritual hunger remained unsatisfied. What could fill the void in her heart? She enrolled in a world religions class, and though her professor explained the role of religion in human society, he could not provide any answers for the deep questions in her heart. Mary was disappointed, but she continued her search by reading every book on religion she could find and peppering her religious friends and co-workers with questions. Throughout it all, she gained information, but no satisfaction. But Mary was determined not to give up until she found what she was looking for. She took a job in a supermarket, and one day, she was surprised to see a foreign woman in her checkout line. As Mary rang up the purchase, she quietly asked the woman, “Are you a Christian?” The foreigner answered, “Yes, I am. Would you like to talk with me about it?” “Yes, I would. Could we meet together?” They quickly made arrangements to meet, and soon, their friendship began. The woman and her husband were in the country to teach English and

do Christian work. They belonged to a church called “Nazarene.” Mary was unsure of what that meant. But she soon developed a close relationship with the couple, and since she had a good command of English, she translated sermons, lessons, and business correspondence into her language for them. One day the woman asked Mary, “Do you understand what it means to be a Christian?” “I understand a little, but mostly I have questions,” Mary said. From then on, they spent hours discussing questions together. Mary knew she was gaining much understanding, but she struggled to overcome her fears and disappointment. She was guarded about sharing her innermost thoughts; if she was moving closer to trusting Jesus with her life, she did not reveal it to her friends. She understood these foreign friends were praying for her, and she was grateful for that. But she had always been taught to question whether Christianity belonged in her culture. Despite her guardedness, Mary enjoyed her friendship with the Americans. Mary began attending the local Christian church, joined the choir, and became friends with a young couple who showed great interest in her. Now she could bring her questions to someone of her own culture. Under their faithful and loving guidance, Mary came to faith in Jesus Christ.

While Mary was hesitant to share her decision with her American friends, they recognized the significant changes in her. She began faithfully participating in the small group they led, arranged her work schedule so it did not conflict with her church attendance, and moved out of her boyfriend’s apartment. As the days passed, her newfound joy was increasingly evident. When Mary finally made a public confession of her allegiance to Jesus Christ, the question of baptism arose. Would the memory of what had happened to her grandfather make her resist that step? Finally, one of the Americans asked her, “Mary, do you want to be baptized? We would love to share that occasion with you, and we’re returning to the United States in just three weeks.” “Yes! I do want to be baptized. Can we do it before you leave?” They were surprised by her joyous response. “Do you mean that? We were so afraid that you wouldn’t want to be baptized because of what happened to your grandfather.” Mary considered for a moment, then said, “I struggle with that, and I admit it does make me nervous. But I want to do it.” “Then let us meet so we can explain the meaning of baptism to you.”

On the morning of the day they planned to meet, the American missionaries’ phone rang. It was Mary. “I am so excited I can hardly breathe!” she exclaimed. “I couldn’t even sleep last night. Three of my friends are coming with me so you can explain Christianity to them.” Mary chattered on excitedly, ignoring the fact that their call might be monitored, which would create trouble for all of them. The missionary faced a challenge. How would he teach Mary the meaning of baptism and at the same time present Christ to her friends? Soon Mary arrived with her boyfriend Oscar, her lifelong friend Adora, and a co-worker. Over the next few hours, the missionary explained baptism to Mary and the gospel to her friends. Then he asked her friends if they would receive Christ as Savior. Adora, who been the most engaged in the conversation, answered, “I am very interested, but there is much I still don’t understand. I want to consider this and attend church with Mary.” When the missionary gave her a Bible, she promised to read it. Mary’s co-worker answered, “I don’t think I want to do this, but my fifteen-year-old son has been asking a lot of questions about Christianity, and he will want to hear what I’ve just learned about Jesus.” Finally, his brow furrowed with perplexity, Oscar said, “This is very new to me, and there is much

I don’t understand. I want to learn more about Jesus and the Bible.” On the day of her baptism, Mary declared that her years-long search for answers had culminated when she found Jesus Christ. Her fears were ended; baptism meant she had yielded to God’s loving intentions for her. She had taken her stand with God’s people. True to his word, Oscar continued exploring Christianity. He attended church meetings, made Christian friends, and read the Bible with Mary and other Christians. However, the missionary was of little help in answering Oscar’s questions because he could not understand Oscar’s fumbling attempts to speak English. On the missionaries’ last Sunday before returning to the United States, they went to dinner with Mary and Oscar. The young couple talked about their plans for marriage and their dreams for the future. After the meal, Oscar told them, “I have a Christian friend who has offered to teach me how to play the guitar. The trouble is that I don’t have a guitar of my own.” The missionary realized he meant that the friend could better explain Christianity to Oscar while teaching him the guitar. “Oscar, I have a guitar I hardly know how to play, and I haven’t used it much. It’s yours.”

When Oscar left with the guitar on his back, he said, “Thank you for this.” Then he pointed to his heart with a grin. “And for this.” Had Oscar invited Christ into his heart? A few weeks after their return to the United States, the missionary couple received an e-mail with the answer: Oscar has been baptized! Mary wrote. When the Americans returned to the country six months later, Oscar told them, “I have read the Bible through three times already. I want to devote my life to the proclamation of the gospel.” Oscar was brimming with ideas. He did not feel that God was calling him to be a pastor, but he wanted to do all he could to support the church and its growth. Specifically, he hoped to establish a business that could provide the church with places to meet. He learned to play the guitar and began to dream of establishing a music school that would train worship leaders. As he made plans, he boldly shared his testimony with family, friends, co-workers, and anyone else who would listen. When Mary’s co-worker shared the Christian story with her fifteen-year-old son, he immediately opened his heart to Jesus and asked to be baptized. But his father objected, and there were stringent laws about the conversion of minors. The boy is now growing in his faith as he looks forward to being baptized when he comes of age.

Mary and her fiancé are now part of a growing movement that brings multitudes in their country to faith in Jesus Christ. The opposition is significant, but the gospel prevails as new believers are born into the kingdom of God.

seven

FROM NOODLES TO PANCAKES James’ restless spirit would not be quieted. Like many of his generation, James seemed to have everything going for him. His Asian country was riding a wave of prosperity that provided him with a first-class university education and the opportunity to build a successful future for himself. So why did he feel so empty? He couldn’t answer that question. He chose to major in English—a popular choice among his classmates, since knowledge of English was essential for anyone who planned to participate in the global economy. James did well in his studies and became popular. He was preparing himself for a future that promised greater prosperity than his parents had ever known. Still, his restlessness went all the way back to his childhood, when two of his aunts would bribe him with candy to sing Christian hymns. There was something in their loving Christian behavior that appealed to him, even as a young boy. But as he grew older, there were other things to occupy his attention.

The notice on the English department bulletin board announced that a new English teacher and his wife were moving into town and needed help unloading their moving truck. Intrigued, James took two of his friends to meet the American newcomers. As they spent a few hours working together, James thought, These are good people. I want to take a class from him. As James became better acquainted with his new teacher, he began to wonder why the couple had come to his country. Surely they meant to do more than teach English. As he watched them closely, he perceived that they must be Christians. Perhaps his teacher could help him with his restless, searching spirit. One evening, James burst through the door of his dormitory room, slumped into his chair, and put his face in his hands. He and his girlfriend had just had an argument. “James, this is it! We are through,” she had shouted. James’ heart was broken and his world seemed shattered. He really loved that girl. In the midst of his grief, one of his classmates asked what he knew about Christianity. “James, have you heard that Jesus Christ died for your sins?” his friend asked. That was what James’ aunts had told him years ago. What did that mean? Did it have anything to do with the aching void in his heart?

Finally, driven to desperation, James asked his English teacher, “Do you have time to meet with me? I would like for you to explain Christianity to me.” His teacher answered, “Of course I do, James. But I can’t talk to you about this on the campus. Let’s go get noodles over at that little shop.” As they sat facing each other over bowls of noodles, James could tell that his teacher was nervous. I hope he doesn’t think I’m trying to make trouble for him, he thought. Later he learned that this was the first time his teacher had been asked to share his faith since he came to the country. The teacher shared his own testimony of how he had come to faith in Christ and how God had led him to become an English teacher. He explained the need for repentance, and how James could have new life by inviting Jesus into his heart. After a long conversation, as they bowed their heads over their empty noodle bowls, James surrendered his life to Jesus. The teacher said quietly, “Praise God, James. Would you like to meet with me on Sunday afternoon for a Bible study? I would love for you to bring a friend with you.” On Sunday, James came with two of his classmates, both of whom were Christians. Three unbelieving friends came with him the following Sunday, and within a few weeks, all the students embraced Christ as their Savior. The six students met weekly

until one graduated. The remaining five then formed the core group that continued as other students visited their weekly meetings. Eventually, four more students began attending regularly. One day, the teacher asked the group, “Do you like pancakes? How about we change our meetings to mornings at my house, and we’ll have pancakes.” From that day, the students experienced the reality of God’s love over six months of pancake breakfasts, and one by one, all of them gave their hearts to Christ. James was thrilled to see his friends come to share his Christian faith, and he played a key role leading the Bible studies. His teacher told James that he felt blessed as he watched James grow in the Lord and assume leadership. Baptisms were planned for early June, and James could hardly wait for the opportunity to declare his allegiance to Jesus Christ. Another of his friends was baptized that day, and the following Sunday, his friend Jerry was baptized. Jerry had invited several of his friends, and as he gave his testimony, one of his friends who was attending for the first time gave her heart to Jesus. Some of the new converts graduated that month, and James felt a pang in his heart as he watched the members of his little church move on to new places. But at the same time, he rejoiced in the change in own life and in the knowledge that he had played a

part in helping his friends come to faith in Jesus. He knew they would carry their testimony to new places where the gospel was needed. As he reflected, he was grateful for the teacher who had come such a great distance to bring the gospel to him. He was determined that as long as he lived, he would continue to bear witness to the power of Christ to change lives.

eight

COFFEE WITH BENEFITS Anelie wondered why her friend Beata was so excited about taking her to a coffeehouse. “They serve great coffee and wonderful pastries,” Beata assured her. “But it is a lot more than just a coffeehouse.” “What do you mean, ‘more than a coffeehouse’?” Anelie asked. “It’s the people there—I mean the owners and the customers. It’s the whole atmosphere. There are lively conversations, and lots of disagreements, but it feels safe. It’s the only place like it in Poznan. I’m working there part-time and go as often as I can.” They walked up to the brightly painted entry of the coffeehouse, where the noise and rush of the city traffic faded into the background as Anelie caught the enticing aroma of coffee. They opened the door to the sounds of many conversations going at once. Anelie hesitated. What was Beata leading her into? “Come on, Anelie,” Beata implored. “I know you’ll like this place.”

Pushing her reluctance aside, Anelie followed Beata into the parlor. She gasped with delight when she saw the artwork on the wall. An eclectic assortment of paintings, wall and floor coverings, and furniture invited her to sit comfortably. She and Beata ordered coffee and carried their steaming cups to a table, where they joined a lively conversation. Other university students had found the Sweet Surrender coffeehouse to be the perfect place to take a break from their studies. In this Polish city of nearly 600,000, one-fourth of the population are university students. With one of the most stable economies in all of Europe, Poland provides its young citizens with five years of free higher education. Other students come from all over Europe and beyond for high-quality, low-cost education. Sweet Surrender’s bulletin board announced a variety of upcoming events, including live music and a “black coffee night.” But the posting that most caught Anelie’s attention was the one about Saturday evening Bible studies. Did that mean that this was a place for religious people? So this was what Beata meant when she said it was more than a coffeehouse. Anelie’s family, like 85 percent of the Polish population, identified themselves as Roman Catholic. Her great-grandparents’ generation had survived the horrifying events of World War II, which killed onefifth of the entire population and nearly eradicated the

large Jewish community. After the war, Poland was the Communist bloc country that most successfully resisted the brutish attempts to close the Catholic Church. Polish people were immensely proud of Pope John Paul II’s courage when he told his people to stand up to Communism and “not be afraid.” But, like many people in her generation, Anelie was ambivalent about her family’s traditional beliefs. What did it matter that Jesus had died for her sins? As a child she had taken catechism classes, but they provided few answers to the questions she struggled with now. Her academic work and social life took her even further from resolving her deepest questions. Was there something within this coffeehouse that might help her? She wasn’t sure, but when she left Sweet Surrender, Anelie knew she wanted to return, though not just for the coffee. Anelie soon returned and became friends with Ev and Rhonda Tustin, the founders of the coffeehouse. She found Rhonda to be easy to talk to, and the more she visited Sweet Surrender, the more she realized that her favorite thing about the coffeehouse was the peace she sensed every time she entered. There, she felt safe asking the questions she had hidden inside for so long. Anelie discovered that Sweet Surrender was staffed with Nazarene volunteers who came from several different countries. One couple she especially liked was Aaron and Brittany Bolerjack from Oklahoma.

Aaron and Brittany Bolerjack

One day Brittany asked Anelie to help put on “black coffee night,” one of the events Anelie had seen on the bulletin board the first time she visited. Though Anelie still had no idea what that meant, she was glad to help her new friend in any way she could. The night of the event, the room was filled with coffee lovers who came to enjoy the tantalizing flavors of many different brews. Several baristas from Sweet Surrender and neighboring coffeehouses set out their samples and explained the qualities of the various coffees. The group circled the long table with their tasting spoons, sipping samples of brews from around the world.

Afterward Anelie told Brittany, “It was amazing how many people came and how much fun everyone had. You and the other baristas did such a great job!” “Would you like to work here as a volunteer, Anelie?” Rhonda asked. “That would qualify you for consideration for a paid staff position.” Anelie was delighted and accepted the offer. Soon, Sweet Surrender became her home away from home. On cold days, she and the other baristas took coffee to homeless people, and she helped plan the coffeehouse’s seemingly endless series of events. Anelie worked as a volunteer for several months before joining the paid staff. Eventually, she became assistant manager. All the while, Anelie occasionally attended Saturday evening Bible studies. When her boyfriend joined her, they became regular attenders, and soon her mother and sister came too. One day Anelie took Ev and Rhonda aside and told them, “I am facing some struggles. Can you help me figure out how to deal with them?” “Of course, Anelie,” Rhonda said. “Let’s talk.” “I have attended mass all my life,” Anelie faltered, “but I did not think I could know God in a personal way. Yet you say this is possible. How do I find that? It is what I want.” After several months of searching, Anelie told her co-workers, “Working here has changed my life.

Because of Ev and Rhonda’s guidance, I have found Christ.” Her testimony raised eyebrows among her family and friends. Polish culture is strongly bound to the Catholic Church, and there are few acceptable alternatives. Evangelical Christianity is generally looked upon with suspicion and disfavor, and talk of a personal relationship with Christ sounds strange to Polish people. While Anelie did not encounter overt rejection, her faith made her family uncomfortable. Had she been drawn into a cult? But they soon decided that her changed life and her joyous testimony had to be investigated. Her family came to Sweet Surrender to sample the coffee, and soon returned for live music events and Saturday evening Bible studies. Gradually, as Anelie’s family learned more of the Christ she had come to love, Poznan’s community of believers grew. To Anelie’s joy, her sister became a Christian and enrolled in a Christian school. Her mother also put her trust in Jesus and continues to grow in her relationship with God. When Ev and Rhonda returned to the United States to pastor a Nazarene Church in Washington, Anelie assumed more responsibility, and two years after giving her heart to Christ, she became one of the three leaders of the coffeehouse. She now shares her faith with her young coworkers and operates Sweet Surrender without oversight from the

missionary founders. Throughout it all, Anelie follows this simple rule: “Love God; love people, and love coffee.” Life has many bitter experiences, but surrendering to Jesus is sweet.

nine

CREATIVE TRIBULATION If Christians could choose among the promises given by Jesus, the promise that “In the world you will have tribulation. . . ” (John 16:33, ESV) is surely the one most would choose to skip. Though there is no disappointment in Jesus himself, even rugged Christ-followers encounter disappointments as they endeavor to be faithful in their callings. Ken Key, owner of Key Manufacturing, a wood products business in Jasper, Alabama, learned that lesson when he began his work in world missions. In 1976, Ken returned from a Work and Witness project with a renewed passion for missions. His new awareness of God’s calling drove him to make some radical changes that would enable him to focus his entrepreneurial energies on serving God around the world. First, he divested himself of all his business interests except for Key Industries. Then he established Missions Unlimited, a charitable enterprise devoted to assisting Nazarene missions and other organizations around the world. His zeal was soon tested when he received a call from Nazarene Headquarters.

Ken Key

“Ken, there is a local congregation that has not completed the construction of its facility. We would like you to organize a Work and Witness team, travel there, and help them get the job done.” Ken eagerly prepared himself and his team for the project that lay ahead, but when they arrived in the country, the team quickly discovered that the situation was more complicated than they had expected. When Ken and his team finally arrived on site and met the field director, they encountered serious disagreement between the field and the general leadership regarding the timing and priorities of the project. The team was caught in the middle. But since they were there to do a job, the men went to work.

Meanwhile, the difficulties and tensions persisted throughout the two weeks of the project. In midst of the team’s strained communications with the local leaders, the country’s severe heat and humidity were nearly unbearable. Alabama at its worst was never like this! There was no hot water for showers. The team endured bugs, pests, unsanitary conditions, unsafe drinking water, and unfamiliar food. Further, they sensed that their sacrificial efforts were not appreciated. On the flight home after their two weeks of service, Ken spoke to his team. “This was a pretty negative experience, but it was a lesson we had to learn,” he said. “As we get more involved in missions work, we are sure to face more difficulties and disappointments—even failures. We have to decide right now nothing will make us give up in the work God has called us to do.” Ken’s resolve would be tested many times in the coming years as he expanded Mission Unlimited’s ministry scope. “What do the Haitian people really need?” Ken asked one day in a meeting with his Missions Unlimited board. “We bought a plane and it’s making regular relief flights into Haiti, carrying donations in response to one need after another. Our supporters respond generously—they know of the extreme poverty, starvation, disease, and homelessness. But we

could keep doing this forever without bringing real change to the country. Can’t we do more? What do the Haitians really need?” “Ken,” one of the board members replied, “we’re talking about one of the poorest countries in world. What don’t they need? Education, jobs, housing, clothing—the list is endless. They need hope!” “Exactly!” Ken replied. “Now we’re talking not just relief, but development. It’s not very glamorous, and we won’t see the long-term results for a while, but I have an idea, and its roots are right here in Jasper—at Key Manufacturing.” With the support of the Missions Unlimited board and Nazarene World Missions, Ken quickly began establishing a wood products manufacturing plant in Port au Prince. He named a board of directors, purchased an abandoned building, outfitted it with machinery, then began a training program to prepare workers for the plant. For most of the workers, it was the first real job they had ever held. When the plant went into production, it employed nearly one hundred people, and a distribution system took their wood products to markets and churches all over the United States. Hope, along with financial stability, rose for scores of families. Ken wondered if their system could be a prototype for ministry in other less-developed countries.

A Nazarene missionary with a great vision for the project provided on-site leadership by meeting the production goals and keeping operations running smoothly. As the missionary worked toward the company’s goals of self-support and spiritual development, the plant made it known that employment was open to anyone who agreed to tithe to their local church. The project appeared to be fulfilling its potential. However, a crisis occurred when the missionary completed his term and returned to the United States on furlough. Since the running of a manufacturing plant was not an ordinary missionary assignment, Ken and his board had to hire a new manager. They soon found a promising individual and gave him full authority over the operation. As time passed, communications from the plant in Port au Prince to the supporters in Alabama became sporadic. Slowly, the news that reached Jasper grew increasingly ominous: “The program seems to be changing . . . production is diminishing . . . workers are being laid off . . . assets are being sold.” Finally, Ken learned that the training program had ended and the factory was closed. It was a bitter disappointment. On Ken’s next trip to Haiti, he went to the factory and found nothing but unoccupied sheds, rusting machinery, and windblown debris. He surveyed the scene with disbelief.

How could this happen? he asked himself angrily. All the time, money, and energy that I and so many people invested comes to this? What keeps me from quitting? Ken searched his soul; it was time for a reassessment of his commitment. Am I serving a project? A cause? Or am I serving Jesus? Ken asked himself. Convicted, he made a resolution. The project has failed, but that doesn’t mean I have failed—nor has Jesus ever failed me. I will not quit! In the three decades that have followed, Missions Unlimited has made scores of flights into Haiti, carrying relief supplies in response to national emergencies, natural disasters, and massive socioeconomic dysfunctions. The flights have accomplished much, particularly in the aftermath of January 2010’s tragic earthquake. Though there have been disappointments along with those accomplishments, Ken surrendered any perceived right to have all his questions answered or succeed with every project. “What is clear to me,” he said, “is that we are simply to praise God in all things. With the passing of time we may gain some understanding, but only when we cross into eternity will we have full understanding. Until then, I will respond with praise!” God’s blessing on Ken’s spirit of surrender enabled Missions Unlimited to extend its service beyond Haiti into sixty countries around the world. Ken also followed his vision for development projects

by establishing craft factories and self-help enterprises in developing nations. In the world we will have tribulation, and while Missions Unlimited has faced its share of “dangers, toils, and snares,” one prayer sustained Ken Key: Lord, my first priority is to seek your kingdom and have a heart that is right with you. Help me not to stray from that commitment.

ten

FROM THE OPERATING ROOM TO THE COFFEE PLANTATION Dr. Larry Hull answered his ringing telephone to hear the voice of Dr. David Barton, president of Nazarene Medical Action Fellowship (NMAF). “Larry, you must have seen the news about the terrible earthquake in Guatemala,” said Barton. “There’s been a huge loss of life and thousands are injured. We’re forming a team of doctors and nurses to set up a clinic at one of the locations, and I thought you might want to be on the team.” “I do,” Larry said. “I’ll leave immediately.” The date was February 4, 1976, only a few months after the founding of NMAF, and this was their first call to action. For two weeks, the team of Nazarene medical professionals worked to save lives and repair broken bodies.

For Larry Hull, that life-altering event was a step toward fulfilling a lifelong calling from God—a calling that drove him to bring honor to his Savior in any way he could. In 1973, Larry completed his long years of training as an orthopaedic surgeon and founded Washington Orthopaedic Center in Centralia, Washington. While he could have settled into a successful practice, raised his family, and enjoyed the fruits of his intense years of preparation, he chose a different path. Three years after the earthquake in Guatemala, Larry and his partner, Dr. George Harper, traveled to the Dominican Republic with a team sponsored by Nazarene Health Care Ministries and the Christian Medical Society. There, they performed several difficult surgeries for impoverished patients. During that trip, Larry saw the benefit and reward of working with missionaries and local medical professionals to bring help to places that lacked adequate medical services. He was pleased to find he had something to offer in the field of compassionate ministry. Those two experiences launched Larry into a career divided between his local and international practice. He ultimately made more than fifty trips to Central America and Papua New Guinea to serve the needs he saw there, and his wife Aarlie and their friends became deeply involved in the work. He recruited teams from his staff and his church commu-

nity, along with medical personnel from across the world. The projects were complex, and teams ranged from a few to forty people. In the early years, the teams went to a different place with each visit, but that changed as time went on. One day, Bob Prescott of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries told Larry that a medical Work and Witness team going to Rivas, Nicaragua was in dire need of an orthopaedic surgeon. Larry immediately agreed to help. When Larry and the team arrived in Rivas, they were greeted with a celebration. Hundreds of people crowded onto the hospital grounds as the Rivas Nazarene pastor conducted evangelistic services and preached Christ to the receptive crowd. The Work and Witness medical team and the Rivas hospital orthopaedists selected the patients with the most urgent needs and made a schedule for surgery and orthopaedic care. As the medical team and orthopaedists worked together, they formed long-term relationships. Larry’s team returned to Rivas several times over the following years, and each time, they brought with them the equipment and the expertise needed for different orthopaedic surgeries. Larry knew that in order to be successful, his mission team needed to form a long-term partnership with the medical professionals in Rivas, so he established a partnership that included local Nazarene

pastors and lay people, district leadership, and Nazarene Health Care Ministries. Missionaries Dr. Tami and Erick Buell managed the in-country details for the teams, and the guidance of Dr. Wilferdo Aguilar, who became director of the Rivas hospital, was essential to their work. The Rivas orthopaedic department, headed by Dr. Edgar Guzman, soon became highly proficient in orthopaedic medicine. In 1990, Larry traveled to Kudjip Nazarene Hospital in Papua New Guinea and found an opportunity to help in the operating room and teach orthopaedics. That visit led him and Aarlie into a new adventure—one that would give them unanticipated opportunities and responsibilities. In Papua New Guinea, they found a long-term calling to serve those who needed their help. Their calling resulted in so many trips that the Hulls soon had a second home in Papua New Guinea. The early trips focused on medical and community needs as they worked with Dr. James Radcliffe and other staff members of the Nazarene hospital. Then an orthopaedic patient from Papua New Guinea came to Washington for a surgery and a weeks-long recovery in the Hulls’ home. During his recovery, the patient talked about his dream of working in the coffee management business. As he shared his hopes with them, Larry and Aarlie began to formulate a vision for development work in Papua New Guinea.

After much thought and prayer, Larry and Aarlie purchased a large coffee plantation near Mount Hagen, close to the Nazarene Bible College and Kudjip Nazarene Hospital. The enterprise struggled for a few years, plagued by poor management. In 2008, to avoid losing the plantation and their investment, Larry and Aarlie stepped in and took over the plantation. With that, the Hulls plunged headlong into the international coffee industry. Aarlie became managing director of the company, and their son Dean, who had a master’s degree in international finance, became chief financial officer. Larry gained horticultural expertise related to all aspects of coffee husbandry and processing. Though the challenges they faced in founding the plantation were daunting, their efforts were rewarded. In the years since its founding, Madan Coffee and Tea Plantation has become a leader in the South Pacific coffee industry. With more than 1,200 acres and 800,000 trees, it is a major employer in the Waghi Valley of the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Today, it employs more than 200 fulltime workers and 600 or more seasonal workers during harvest season. It is one of the few growers in the world that is vertically structured to encompass the entire process of coffee production, including seedling nurseries and soil preparation, plantation management, wet and dry processing of green coffee

beans, exporting and importing, and marketing and delivery to coffee roasters throughout the world. The plantation also cares for creation by preventing soil erosion, properly cleaning discharge water, restricting herbicide and pesticide use, and increasing its use of organic fertilizer. Over time, Larry introduced a drastic tree pruning technique that resulted in marked production increase. The Hulls’ plantation exceeds the standards and fair practices adopted by the Rainforest Alliance, and their operations are designed to assure profitability and sustainability. But the Hulls’ commitment to their community in Papua New Guinea goes far beyond providing jobs. They established a fully staffed medical clinic and birthing center on the plantation, which treats more than 10,000 patients a year and will deliver hundreds of babies. The clinic vaccinates more than 5,000 children annually and offers health education with emphases on nutrition, HIV/AIDS prevention, and clean water and proper sanitation practices. They have dug numerous wells to provide clean water and in doing so, have prevented childhood diseases and deaths. The Hulls also collaborated with others to build a school. When they learned that other schools in the valley had few textbooks, they initiated a book drive among coffee roasters across the United States, which brought in a shipment of 75,000 books. A second shipment deliv-

ered another 75,000 books, and the list of ongoing and pending projects seems endless. Papua New Guinea has the highest infant and maternal mortality rate of all of the Pacific countries, demanding critical improvement to save lives and prevent diseases. The Hulls have completed a comprehensive pilot water and sanitation project for Rotary International by providing two elementary schools in the immediate area of the plantation with clean water, proper toilets, hand washing stations, and school hygiene and health education curriculum. The water and sanitation have been done with the help and support of the Hulls’ home Rotary Club in Centralia, Washington and the Mt. Hagen Rotary Club near the plantation. Many other schools will follow over several years. In 2010, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) honored Larry Hull with its prestigious Humanitarian of the Year Award. When he made the presentation, AAOS President Joseph Zuckerman, MD, called Dr. Hull “the ultimate humanitarian.” Larry’s other honors include the Northwest Nazarene University Alumnus of the Year Award; the International Nazarene Church Good Samaritan Award; and the Centralia Providence Hospital Physician of the Year Award. The City of Centralia designated September 28, 2010, as “Dr. Larry D. Hull Day.”

However, those honors are not what motivate Larry and Aarlie. Rather, they are blessed by the knowledge of the thousands of people they have cared for, the hundreds who have been inspired to partner with them and pursue their own callings, and the lives that have been changed throughout it all. For the fourth quarter of their lives, Larry and Aarlie have adopted a challenge often attributed to John Wesley as their theme: “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. For as long as you can.” As they look to the future, Larry and Aarlie are determined to continue working for safe baby deliveries, clean water, adequate latrines, literacy programs for women and children, gender equality, employment, creation care, and the formation of devoted followers of Jesus in their adopted nation. Though the Hulls have given much, they claim a 401(k) balance of “contentment, fulfillment, friendships, hope, and knowledge of many changed lives.” For that, they give God the glory.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten



NOTES Chapter One 1. The capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

Chapter Two 1. The rupee is the currency of India and several other Asian countries. Today, fifty rupees is equivalent to approximately $0.89 in US dollars. 2. The capital of the state of Karnataka in southern India.