San Diego, California, U.S. -- Back in 1988, Scott Wesley Brown wrote a popular missions song entitled, “Please Don’t Send Me to Africa.” For the 80 people from 10 states and three countries attending the Southern Africa Missionary and Missionary Kid (MK) Reunion on March 20, the outlook was just the opposite. These missionaries and MKs were drawn together by their deep, abiding commitment to and love for Africa.
Warm hugs, sentimental reminiscing and peals of laughter were interspersed with longing looks at the African memorabilia, photos and flags that covered the tables and lined the walls of the aptly-named Mission Church of the Nazarene. Together, the 20 missionaries attending represented a staggering 400+ years of missionary service in southern Africa. That figure
includes individuals like Frances Courtney-Smith who, between her years as an MK and a missionary, lived 51 years on the African continent and delivered 4,000 babies as a midwife.
Across the room you could hear the networking as MKs shared the ways they are involved in Africa now – from Lynda Hetrick’s women’s conferences to Shelley Evans Coil’s involvement with Bethany Nazarene’s Swaziland Partnership; from Benny Bajoyo’s employer tithing 10 percent of their profits, to Jamie Gates and Tim Hall taking Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) students to Africa for coursework and soccer.
MK and Eastern Nazarene College Professor Bill McCoy interviewed missionaries like Claudia Stevenson for his PhD research involving leprosy care. Bill and his family hope to live in Swaziland for six months later this year. At least five other MKs are traveling to Africa in 2010 for various ministries, including orphanages, AIDS ministries, water wells and medical clinics. It is very clear this group has a deep love for Africa.
Missionaries Howard and Allene Miller began annual Swaziland MK reunions in San Diego in 1993, and continued the tradition for 17 years. This year, missionaries and MKs from South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Madagascar also attended. The event included special guests Leslie Lewis and A’me and Sean Bush. Leslie is the U.S. ministry coordinator for Gogo Grandmothers. Dr. Bush is an envenomation specialist featured in Animal Planet’s Venom ER, who is now working to open a snake bite clinic in Swaziland.
The luncheon featured authentic South African dishes including chicken curry, boerwors, vet koek and melktert pies. A stunning cake was decorated as an African village and game reserve.
The reunion was a time of sweet fellowship and pure joy, but the missionary families could not bear to part. Spontaneous gatherings after the reunion included 18 meeting at a local park Saturday night, 28 joining for church and lunch on Sunday and then 17 more gathering for a barbecue dinner Sunday evening.
A few of the comments overheard were:
“I’m Filipino by birth, American by choice and marriage, and African at heart.”
“It’s so great to go back to Africa and see how much the churches have grown.”
“Like many of you, I grew up there and my heart is still there.”
“If anyone wants to take me back to Africa – I’ll get my passport ready!”
Perhaps MK Tom Nothstine, who traveled from remote Cordova, Alaska, to attend the reunion, summed it up best: “We grew up in the best time, the best place that anyone could hope to grow up in – Africa.”
-- Ellen Gailey Decker grew up in Africa as a missionary's kid and is the author of
Nazarene Mission International (NMI) books, Africa's Soul Hope: The AIDS Crisis and the Church and The Power of One: Compassion as a Lifestyle.
includes individuals like Frances Courtney-Smith who, between her years as an MK and a missionary, lived 51 years on the African continent and delivered 4,000 babies as a midwife.
Missionaries Howard and Allene Miller began annual Swaziland MK reunions in San Diego in 1993, and continued the tradition for 17 years. This year, missionaries and MKs from South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Madagascar also attended. The event included special guests Leslie Lewis and A’me and Sean Bush. Leslie is the U.S. ministry coordinator for Gogo Grandmothers. Dr. Bush is an envenomation specialist featured in Animal Planet’s Venom ER, who is now working to open a snake bite clinic in Swaziland.