“I  Was Born Again Because Of Minka”

Paksu Mat, Trowel and Sword, April 1976

Preamble: “LEST WE FORGET”. Australians and New Zealanders should be familiar with these words as they are repeated around both countries every ANZAC and every Remembrance Day. The message they send is that we should never forget those who lost their lives in the defence of their countries. As Christians we have our own days of remembrance, chief among them being Christmas, Good Friday and Easter when we remember, and celebrate the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. A number of other days have also been set aside for special remembrance and these are the days referred to in the Christian Calendar which was the subject of a recent post, “Annus Liturgicus” on our website. How long would we remember special events, and people, if we weren’t reminded of them with special days or in some other way? How many Christians today remember the names of Minka Hanskamp, Margaret Morgan or Anna Strikwerda (among many others) who lost their lives in the service of the Lord on the mission field?

Today’s article reflects on the impact that Minka Hanscamp had on one person. However, if you are unfamiliar with Minka’s story, the following blog gives you a helpful account and reveals the ultimate cost of her discipleship and that of her co-worker Margaret Morgan:  https://lifecoach4god.life/tag/minka-hanskamp/ (Scroll down the page until you get to the heading – “Minka and Margaret: They Were Political Casualties”) See also: https://www.laidlaw100.ac.nz/post/hendrika-hermina-minka-hanskamp/ for a biographical account of the life of Minka Hanskamp.

“I  Was Born Again Because Of Minka”

In “East Asia Millions”, the periodical published by the Overseas Missionary Fellowship, under which Minka Hanscamp and Margaret Morgan worked, we read the following article, an address given by a Thai Christian at the occasion of the funeral service for Margaret and Minka, May 11, 1975.

My beloved Malay friends, I am one of the people who received medical treatment from Minka.  I was very sick, not just with leprosy, but sick in my mind and in my heart as well.  But I want to bear testimony to all you friends that by the power of Christ I was healed and all these things disappeared.

Firstly, I want to tell you that previously I was a leper, but now have been healed.  I had moral trouble too because I followed my own desires and did not follow God.  But with the power of God, Minka was able to bring me help and healing too.

(Margaret and Minka (pictured left) c. 1970)

Minka Hanscamp, a six-foot-tall Dutch woman who had grown up in Java as the daughter of missionaries, and Margaret Morgan, a nurse from a Welsh mining village, were missionary nurses with Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF). They had worked tirelessly in southern Thailand for sixteen and nine years respectively. They both had a special burden for those with leprosy. Their ministry involved cutting away rotten flesh, treating ulcerated sores that emitted a horrible stench, and washing many leprous feet

Secondly, I want to tell you that I was spiritually sick. Sick because of anger, doing wrong things, betting, and such things as God was not pleased with.  But Minka brought cleansing to me through the Lord Jesus.  That is, my heart was cleansed by the Lord Jesus Christ.

All my Malay friends here will not be surprised when I call Minka my mother, even though I am old.er than her.  The reason for this is that I was born again because of Minka.  It was Minka who brought me to know God, and I surrendered myself to Him; because of this I now have the life of Jesus, eternal life which goes on for ever and ever.  This is the most important thing to me. You will all be surprised when I say that I am lil<e a person who has been born again.  I am a new person.

I am a representative of the leprosy sufferers – there are many who have leprosy, not just tens but hundreds, and I was one of them.  I came to Minka for help, and by the power of God she was able to cure me.  For this I give my thanks to God.

There are many who have entered the family of Christ. I am going to use an illustration by saying that Minka has three groups of children. I am one of the older ones, the eldest brother.

There are also those who are in the middle, and the very small ones who as yet do not know our Father God.  Dear friends and brothers in Christ, our mother has not died in the way in which we talk of death.  She has returned.  God has called her to return to the place which Jesus has been preparing for Margaret and Minka.  Dear friends, we know that Minka did a great work.  God knew that she had many children who could help in her work.

But what was Minka’s real work? It was to bear testimony to the good news of God, and take it to every place and village.  This is what is important, and this is the work which we have to do in her place.  We, who are as it were her children, must lead others to know the Lord just as we know Him.  They are our younger brothers who also need salvation.  I have used this illustration of the three groups of people, because I want to say that I am one who has now become a Christian and has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.  In this way I am an older brother.  But there are also others who do not completely believe yet, or others who have only recently believed: you are truly my younger brothers.  There are also many who have only just heard but do not believe anything as yet.

It is important for us to take responsibility for this work among our Malay friends. If we do not take responsibility for this work, then we are not truly brothers in the family of Christ, neither is Minka our true mother.  This is what I meant earlier when I said Minka had not died.  It is just that God has called her to return to Himself, and God has prepared a place for us too.  We have eternal life which God gave to Minka, and she has passed on to us.

Let us pray: God our Father, I want to give thanks to you because you gave Minka to us Malays and Thai.  Father God, now you have called her to return to yourself.  I give thanks to you because many of our friends who knew her, she was able to lead them to know you as Father God. Dear Father, I ask you that you will give your Holy Spirit to us who are listening, so that we may receive blessing and be able to bring blessing on others as well, so that they may all receive full salvation.  I pray in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

PAKSU MAT