When asked where the greatest need is in
Guatemala, Gary Lengkeek responds without hesitation, “when you learn to love those around you, you will have met the greatest need of all.”
Beyond all the need, poverty, hurt that exists in the country of
Guatemala, the greatest need mirrors the supreme command of Christ: love God and love others.
A business major in college, Gary Lengkeek was on the road of security and success in every American definition of the word.
His bride, Nancy, studied bookkeeping and both were actively involved in church.
In short, their life appeared to all to be everything they could have hoped.
At the age of 32,
Gary received the calling from God that would forever change the lives of he, Nancy and their family.
A missionary from their denomination had come to share their experience abroad and update the church on their “progress” in the field.
The wizened voice of experience explained at the conclusion of their presentation that this was the time where they were supposed to recruit others to overseas missions.
However, in this missionary’s experience, this rarely provided the kind of follow through that created any kind of significance to these charges.
Instead, they decided to challenge the parents, pastors and church in general with committing themselves to the support of those called and committing to God their children and their education in ministry and missions.
The response was overwhelming, except apparently in the heart of Gary Lengkeek.
Nancy, inspired by the word given and wanting to commit to the missions education their then one-year-old, looked expectantly at her husband awaiting the lead to stand and commit their family to the charge given.
Chorus after chorus played as nearly the entire congregation had stood committing to the charge, except for the Lengkeek family.
After the service on the trip home
Nancy turned to her husband and in a frustrated tone exclaimed “what’s wrong with you?! Don’t you want our children to know about missions?”
To her surprise,
Gary turned to her and replied, “of course I do!
I just thought that we could probably do a better job accomplishing that if we took them to the mission field with us instead of farming them out to get it from someone else.”
Nancy
looked back speechless for she too was ready to commit the life of their family to the mission field.
Following this life-altering call, Gary and Nancy moved to inner-city
Chicago with a little less than $1,000 in their account for
Gary to attend Moody Bible Institute.
Their pitiful savings only allowed them a month in their little housing complex and once the funds ran out,
Gary and
Nancy stepped out on faith and asked God what was next.
In a stroke of complete insanity, a position opened up at a local funeral home.
The owner needed someone to be on the premises almost constantly and had, in a freak turn of events, space for the family to live.
With almost no hesitation, the once businessman loan officer and bookkeeper moved themselves and their two children into the shelter of a funeral home.
The times they were unable to be on site for services or whatnot were filled with trips to the mall to walk around and gaze at all the trinkets they could not afford unless the budget allowed for an ice cream cone.
The family lived in the funeral home while
Gary studied for his undergraduate and seminary degrees.
To fulfill a requirement for a missions credit,
Gary scheduled a trip with a team to
Columbia for two months.
In an unexpected move of blessing,
Nancy was able to accompany her husband and left their two young children with
Nancy’s sister while the couple pursued the dream that had been on their heart for so many years.
After graduation,
Gary began seeking out a way to return to
Columbia but to no avail.
No teams or organizations were supporting long term efforts in
Columbia at the time so
Gary broadened his search.
A church planting team was leaving for
Bolivia and Gary and Nancy decided to jump on board – a move that began a twelve year stay in the country.
While the initial goal of the team was a church plant,
Gary soon realized that the true need was leadership and theological training for indigenous pastors in the country.
Adapting training he had acquired through various venues and discovering the needs of the culture allowed him to develop and refine a two year, five module curriculum for pastors to receive this much needed training.
This curriculum included in-depth studies on discipleship, teaching, preaching, evangelism and a host of miscellaneous subjects including missions, sacraments, etc.
Throughout the two years and integrated into all subjects was an intensive exegetical study of the scriptures.
Lessons include morning academic study and afternoon practical application assignments under the scrutiny of competent teachers and mentors.
The success of this program was overwhelming and when Gary and Nancy felt God’s call to
Guatemala, God provided contacts and ministry leaders excited at the prospect of bringing the program to their country.
The program has now grown and is currently in operation under the competent leadership of several indigenous Guatemalan leaders.
Gary and Nancy, now in their later years are serving in missionary care with Adventures In Missions and have served as liaisons with the WorldRace teams ministering in
Guatemala.
Their experience and passion for the mission field serves to inspire many and is being used of God to impact many around Central and
South America.
With all of their accomplishments and journeys, they still contend that the greatest need is in each of us: to love God and to love others.
Ministry and missions aside, everything hinges on our ability to love one another.
The heart of a missionary that could say so much boils his experience down to this basic concept.
Love God, love others, period.
That’s the kind of missionary that can change the world.
