Joy Bausum

This article was used with permission from Russell Board who writes the Asia/Pacific Updates, IPHC World Missions in the Asia/Pacific Region.

Joy's parents, Dan and Patty Bausum, traveled to Malaysia months after Joy's death for the dedication of The Joy Bausum School.

Malaysia

December 13, 2010

Joy Bausum School

On November 12, the Joy Bausum School was officially dedicated in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This is the school for Burmese refugees where 26-year-old SOW missionary Joy Bausum was working when she was suddenly stricken with a massive cerebral hemorrhage that took her life.

Participants in the dedication ceremony included Presiding Bishop Ron Carpenter and World Missions Executive Director Doug Beacham, as well as Joy’s parents Daniel and Patti Bausum. Bishops Carpenter and Beacham spoke to the schoolchildren and guests about Joy’s commitment to serve the Lord, and encouraged the students to follow in her steps. Her parents also spoke to the students, emphasizing that Joy was an ordinary girl who gave her life to the Lord, and ended up being used by God in extraordinary ways.

IPHC ministers Henry and Serena Martinus operate the school, which serves about 75 children from Myanmar, whose families have fled persecution in their home country. These families struggle to eke out a living while their applications for refuge in America or Europe are processed by the UN, which takes two to three years.

Henry and Serena have a vision to start many Joy Bausum Schools to serve refugee communities in Malaysia and beyond. They welcome young (or not-so-young) people like Joy to join them, short-term or long, in the rewarding work of redeeming lives and giving children a solid foundation on which to build a future of hope in Christ.

Donations to support the school can be sent to World Missions, PO Box 12609, Oklahoma City, OK 73157. For online donations, gohere.