Dear IPHC Family,
Most of you are aware that last week World Missions Ministries suffered the loss of
one of our outstanding young Short-term Overseas Workers (SOW), 26 year old Joy Elizabeth Bausum.
Joy had just begun a six month assignment in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, working with a Burmese orphanage led by IPHC Malaysian Pastor Henry and Serena Martinus. This was to be followed by an assignment in Bangladesh beginning
January 2011.
Joy became ill Sun., Aug. 15 and was admitted to a Kuala Lumpur hospital and into intensive care where she was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Her condition worsened and surgery was attempted last Tuesday in an effort to save her life. Though every effort was made to save her life, she went to be with the Lord on Wednesday of last week.
Pastor Henry and his wife Serena were with Joy at the hospital through most of this traumatic ordeal. WMM Director for Asia and Pacific Russell Board was in constant contact as was WMM Regional Director Tim Salley. Tim and Beth had been with Joy in Kuala Lumpur just before she became ill. She had already endeared herself to the children and leaders of the orphanage though there only a short time. Tim returned to be with Pastor Henry and Joy and was able to pray with her just a short time before she died. She was unconscious during most of the final days. In a gracious act, a Moslem doctor allowed Pastor Henry to hold a cell phone to her ear following the surgery so that her mother and father in North Carolina could talk and pray with her. This was a great comfort to these parents.
A memorial service was held last week at the orphanage. The children presented roses in her memory, sang songs of Jesus, and many IPHC Malaysian leaders and pastors were present. Tim Salley wrote me that he was the only western face in the memorial service while Chinese, Indians, and Burmese thanked the Lord for the life of this young woman.
Joy’s body was cremated in Malaysia and the ashes will be sent to her family. Her father told me that one of Joy’s distant grandfathers died as a missionary in Malaysia and is buried there. She comes from a long line of godly servants of Jesus Christ!
Another memorial service was held at the First Baptist Church of Lugoff (Camden), South Carolina, this past Saturday. IPHC speakers included Dr. Scott Bryan, pastor of an IPHC congregation in Bluefield, West Virginia, a close personal friend of the family and a key connection in Joy becoming part of WMM last year; Dr. Vijah Balla, WMM leader for six nations surrounding India and missionary with whom Joy worked for several weeks last year in Bangladesh and who was planning to return to Bangladesh next year for a two year assignment; and myself. I want to also recognize Rev. Phil Staton, pastor of Star House of Praise, a Cornerstone Conference church. One of Joy’s sisters and her brother attend this IPHC church. Brother Staton and his congregation ministered to the entire family during this difficult week.
The church was full with over 500 people in attendance. A large number of WMM missionaries were present (at least 14 that I remember) as well as Matt Bennett from People to People, Local Church Missions Director Rhonda Bauer, Rev. Keith Gilliam and Rev. Dean Morgan representing the WMM Council, and Beth Salley’s mother, Mrs. Dee Dee Duncan. In particular I want to mention another SOWer, Ms. Jackie Davis, who was going to join Joy in Bangladesh next year and work together as a team. Jackie is still planning to go and we are praying the Holy Spirit will call another young woman to go with her in this vital assignment.
Joy’s parents, Daniel and Patty Bausum, live near Winston-Salem in Kernersville, NC (703 Salisbury Rd, Kernersville, NC 27284 for those who desire to send a card). They also spoke at the memorial service on Saturday. They are two of the most amazing people I have ever met. Though filled with grief, they spoke of Joy’s love for Jesus and their desire to see more young people respond to the Gospel call to the nations! Her father put it powerfully,“Joy was a seed for more to come to the mission field. But don’t do anything because she died; do it because HE died!”
The Bausum’s expressed their deep appreciation to the WMM and IPHC Malaysian staff for all they did to help during this situation. The family comes from a charismatic Southern Baptist background, but through Bishop Preston Mathena, Dr. Bryan and Rev. Staton, found a place of ministry for their daughter in WMM.
The family asked that monetary gifts be made to the Joy Bausum Memorial Fund that has been established through World Missions Ministries. These funds will be distributed to the Bangladesh Holiness School dormitory project, to help with a church building in Kathmandu, Nepal (where I was with her last November as she ministered with the IPHC congregation there), and with the orphanage in Kuala Lumpur. The orphanage in KL and the school in Bangladesh have announced they will be naming buildings in memory of Joy.
In closing I want to thank the WMM Asian missionary leaders for all they did in keeping the Bausum family informed, particularly Tim Salley and Russell Board. I also want to thank the Lord for Pastor Henry and his wife for their round the clock vigil with Joy on this her last earthly journey. Dr. Harold Dalton and the WMM office maintained regular contact with the Bausum family and provided vital assistance. I cannot tell you how thankful and proud I am of the dedicated men and women who serve Christ and IPHC through World Missions Ministries.
You can learn more about Joy’s life through wmm.iphc.org and also through the following Facebook pages: IPHC World Missions Ministries and Pray for Joy Bausum.
Sincerely,
Doug Beacham
Posted on
Tue, August 24, 2010
by Hugh Morgan