The "Hart" of a Missionary

I had just received a prayer request from the Philippines regarding some friends who after 21 years of serving together as a team with the Higaonan are leaving the field. They are leaving to tend to personal matters. Their co-workers are sad to see them leave but know that this is something they need to do. The missionaries names are Bill and Carol Hart.

I remember when I first met this couple. They arrived in Durham Ontario Canada to begin missionary training in 1981 I believe. I remember seeing them walk into the camp, yes walk with their children and all their worldly possessions in backpacks. I remember them to seem to be different then most missionary candidates, they were certainly different from me.

I came to training to serve the calling I believe I had but deep down I found myself consumed with appearance, acceptance and wanting to succeed. The Harts' only concern was do to what they needed to so that they might be used of God in the foreign field.

When we were getting ready to go to the Philippines we met the Harts once more. I was Interim pastor of a local church near the training camp and they were finishing up their last term. They had not changed. Determined as ever they knew what God was calling them to do and kept at it, not worrying about appearance or people or anything else, except God!

Then it happened. They left the camp, went on to language school and ended up in the Philippines where we were serving. With the same dogged determination they were not content to stay on the main island of Luzon to serve, they chose one of the toughest areas of the ministry on the island of Mindanao. After studying the trade language of Mindanao they ended up joining a team in the Higaonan work. Quite isolated and primitive they worked along side the Ostmans, who were known by us for many years and the Jennings family from Australia. And there they served for more than 20 years. Low missionary support, working with two other families in the most primitive of situations they became admired by myself for their incredible love for Jesus as they served God with the Higaonan people.

Nothing deterred them from their mission. A near fatal snake bite to one of their children could have pulled them out and sent them home, but God's provision in helping and healing kept them there. Many children later, (I last counted eight, yes eight '8', I believe), they stayed and worked, they taught, they translated, they served. Lance Ostman says, "We say good bye to our co-workers today. We've been working together for 21 years. We will miss them terribly!"

In a world where most people cannot get along with family let alone coworkers and neighbors, these folk have stuck it out for over 20 years in one of the most difficult situations, under the harshest of conditions, held together by love, purpose and their God!

No news cameras, no c-span, no nightly news broadcast or fanfare from the upper eschelons of our society as they leave their 'home' and the people they love; just a sad good-bye from their friends and coworkers and a "Well done" from our Savior.

Thank you Bill and Carol and family for your commitment and service now and in the future where God leads you. Thank you for your example of Kingdom work at its best!