Elim Bible Institute - Oasis Yearbook (Lima, NY)

Page 51 text:

In addition, Brother Spencer had a long - standing desire to visit India as his father had before him. Through the years, there had been requests for our President’s personal participation in min¬ istry in India. Others had been sent several times, but he had the desire to see for himself the work of the Lord and how to relate to the needs there. The time had come to go — and God miraculously supplied the needed funds. The first major stop was in New Zealand for Bible teaching sessions at Faith Bible College, founded by Desmond Short, Elim class of ’63. In the eight years the school has functioned, nearly 100 of its students have gone into overseas min¬ istry, chiefly in the South Pacific. Indonesia with its teeming millions (5 th largest nation in the world) was next to be visited. Stephen Westfall met our brethren at Jakarta where they shared with him and the Bill Myers, who are involved in a Gospel publishing plant. In the Philippines, the two brethren separated, our President to spend time with Paul Stutzman and the workers on the island of Palawan, and Costa Deir to visit the Manila area where he had shared in previous workers’ conferences. The Stut- zmans, at retirement age, resigned their pastorate in Michigan and have developed, with help of younger folks including three of their sons, a Bible school and a fellowship of churches on the remote island of Palawan. In Taiwan, Costa Deir made contact with Dale and Esther Wine, Elim grads of the class ’53. Others associated with Elim have served in Taiwan after being forced to leave the Chinese mainland. One of the veterans, Herbert MacClurg, just passed away at age 81.

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“Ask of me and I shall give thee the nations for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” This verse was whispered into our President’s ear more than forty years ago when he was in quest of God’s will for his life. Within the last several years, President Spenc¬ er has become increasingly concerned about the Far East. Some time ago in a campus missionary service, God spoke to him prophetically about turning his eyes to the Far East as he had been called to do previously toward Latin America — for God was going to send workers from among Elim’s company to these areas, and Elim was to begin a more direct prayer concern for this great popula¬ tion area. While the elders of the Elim Fellowship were in prayer this past summer, the Lord confirmed that the time had arrived for our President and Costa Deir to TRAVEL INTO THE FAR EAST to discover what further steps were to be taken in identifying with those the Lord had already sent to these areas. It seems noteworthy that while God was speak¬ ing to our President about His challenge in the Pacific area, He was placing Elim graduates in strategic places. The Desmond Shorts, with others, had returned to New Zealand and a new Bible school had been opened. Others are now located in Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, India and elsewhere. Top: Students at Zion Bible College, Vijawada, India. Center (l.to r.): The burden bearer - the ox, Vijaw¬ ada; Rev. Walter Hawkins, British Assemblies of God Missions director, and Rev. Cyril Crass in headquarters in England; Dr. and Mrs. Christy Wilson, Afghanistan. Bottom (l.to r.): Abraham Samuel and family; Abraham and Carolyn Rababy and family. 46

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The World Pentecostal Conference in Seoul, Korea was a glorious experience. The meetings convened in a new sanctuary seating 10,000 people, with four services each Sunday to accommodate its membership of 25,000. Active in this church are Jack and Cathy Holm, former Elim students. It is reported that, in Korea, the land of early morning prayer meetings, converts are being won to Christ in greater numbers than the population expansion. Recently Billy Graham held a rally there with an estimated 1,100,000 in attendance! Brief stops were also made in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Saigon and Bangkok where our brethren were privileged to relate to missionaries and national workers, sharing their burdens and joys. The period spent in India was rewarding. After two days in Calcutta with Mark Buntain and the Assemblies of God there, Brothers Spencer and Deir traveled south to visit P.M. Samuel and his son Abraham in the extensive school and pastoral work God has given them in Andhra State. Some 50 pastors, with as many Zion Bible College students, were gathered for ministry. Our brethren found, in addition, a Christian school numbering nearly 1,000 children plus an orphanage of 75. (P.M. Samuel pioneered in this area thirty years ago, sent there by the word of the Lord, and today there are four hundred churches as a result of the ministry. His son Abraham, Elim class of ’54, is now in charge of the work.) They were joined by another Elim grad from Kerala, V.G. Kunjappy, class of ’66. Another highlight in India was our brethren’s contact with missionaries and a large Catholic charismatic group in Bombay. While staying with the Richard Dreyers in Teheran, Iran, they were privileged to have fellow¬ ship with Dr. and Mrs. Christy Wilson who have been used of God to plant Gospel seed in Afghanistan. Top (1 .to r.): Richard Dreyer and Costa Deir in Tehe¬ ran, Iran; Don Warren, head of orphanage in Viet Nam, and orphans. Center (l.to r.): Persian carpet weaver, Teheran; Staff personnel of Gospel print shop in JaHarta, Indonesia; Paul Collins and wife, Sydney, Australia. Bottom: The harvest is ripe. Carlton Spencer in the Philippines. (Due to difficulties in respresenting by picture each missionary of Elim ' s large former student family, the OASIS Staff has innovated an interesting glimpse of our President ' s round-the-world missionary trip, taken during this 50TH YEAR OF ELIM ' S HISTORY. We do wish to recog¬ nize, however, ALL Elim missionaries who number well over 100, and minister in more than 30 nations. Their ministries, which embrace nearly every facet of missionary enterprize, are an integral part of ELIM BIBLE INSTITUTE.) 48 J