Missionary Interview

Name: Kathleen Chester

Mission Board: Global Partners

Date: Wednesday Feb 10

Time: 1p.m.

Place: The grand lobby of Demoss Hall

1. Where are you located as a missionary?

I am currently located in India. We went to Mumbai, India first and then from Mumbai to Hyderabad. We worked our way up through the villages.

2. What do you do as missionary in that location?

One of the things we do with Global Partners is donate water wells to various locations throughout the villages. We were given a total of 16 water wells and as we go around and donate these water wells we have a chance to share the gospel with the people we encounter. Another thing we do is talk and disciple to widows, because widows in India are blamed for their husband’s death and everyone is afraid of afraid of them, we were given the chance to go and love them.

3. Is there any kind of special training you need in order to serve in that location?

No, however, we do have to sign a form stating that we have read certain designated material that Global Partners assigns to us.

4. Can you tell me what a typical day looks like for you?

We generally stay in hotels, so we get up in the morning and pack our things and then get on a bus to travel to a new village. Most of our bus rides last anywhere from 6–12 hours. We typically have about 4–6 water wells to deliver daily so it’s a lot of getting on and off the bus and traveling to different villages. Scattered throughout that we would visit children’s homes and widows.

5. When and how did you know that you were being called to the mission field?

In college, I started off as a nursing major then in my second semester of my freshman year I became a Christian and attended this conference and I had this man come up to me and tell me that God had told him that I was supposed to be working with human trafficking victims in India. So, I prayed about it and God told me to change my major from nursing to global studies.

6. What other religions are typically seen in the area in which you serve?

Hindu, Muslim, and about 2 percent of the nation is Christian.

7. What are some of the biggest challenges of serving in your current location?

Definitely the language barrier, but luckily we had a couple of translators.

What kind of sacrifices do you have to make in order to become a missionary?

I would say the hardest part is definitely leaving the United States and leaving behind the life and status you have here. In a way, you are embracing another culture and it’s beautiful, but as the same time you are falling out of your own.

How are Christians typically treated in the location you serve?

We were typically treated differently not because we were Christian, but because we were white. Over there we were considered higher than the Indian Caste System so we are generally received very well.

Can you give me an example of how you have seen God work through you/your fellow missionaries in the location you serve?

I had a moment with one of the widows where I was reading Isaiah 54 and God started speaking through me to her and both of us just started weeping. It was a pretty big deal, not just for me, but for her as well considering widows are considered to be outcasts. I think for her it was just so impactful that someone had cared enough to sit there with her and take the time to talk to her.