Our History
GOD'S CALLING
In 2001 when God first called me out of the practice of law and set me on a course which led to China, I was a middle-aged attorney who had never been to Bible school, had no background in Chinese culture, didn’t speak a word of the language, and had no support in place whatsoever.
I didn’t seem a very likely candidate to be one of His representatives to the people of China, but I went in faith, remembering that God called an old Bedouin to deliver the Israelites from Egypt and a shepherd boy to be King of Israel. He called a fisherman to be his apostle to the Jews and a Pharisee to go to the Gentiles.
I was unqualified by every measurable standard. It didn’t matter—God had called me. “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant….” (2 Cor. 3:5-6)
HARMONY OUTREACH FOUNDED
The result of answering that call is that I became the Founder and Director of Harmony Outreach, a ministry to poor and vulnerable people in China. Harmony has six different outreaches in China. The cornerstone of our work is a home for orphaned and special needs children near Beijing called Harmony House. It is here that children who were born with special needs and abandoned by their parents go through our Three Steps to Hope (foster care, surgery, adoption) program. Harmony orphans have been adopted all over the United States and the world.
INLAND PROJECTS
Our inland projects include the Kaifeng Deaf School, the Dingbian orphanage for teens, the Catholic orphanage of DaMing, and support of an underground seminary. Harmony also provides surgeries for poor people and minority groups in Western China’s remote Qinghai province.
THE BATTLE
Little did I realize back then how intense the battle would be and how hotly Satan would contest me. I knew God could be trusted to meet our financial needs because He is the One who provides manna from heaven and streams of water from a rock. What I did not know—and could not foresee—was all of you. You came so quietly, one by one or in small groups, to meet us in the gap.
Jesus said, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will go in and come out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:9-10)
ABUNDANT LIFE
There is no doubt that this work is difficult—but it is also abundant life! And one of the things that makes it so beautiful and intense is the joy and courage we feel staring down our formidable enemy knowing that you have taken your stand with us—on our right and left—and our Captain is before us!
