Courage in Action From Certainty to Faith You might think it a dramatic move for each of us to spend so much money and so many years earning college degrees, settling into universities where we enjoyed lecturing and the independence to pursue our academic interests to leave it all behind. And we would agree. It was a huge move. We were two single women (still are, so if you know a couple of awesome men...), doctors in our fields of study, financially independent, loving where we lived and worked, enjoying meaningful friendships; we changed everything for “something else.” It was a huge decision, but it wasn’t a massive leap of faith. In fact, it was one inch at a time—inching away from certainty toward faith in God’s passionate love for humanity. We share a commonality of being children raised in Christian families permeated by ministry and missions. We had excellent role models, unique opportunities, and personal experiences with God. I, Jennie, treasure every childhood moment spent with my traveling evangelist parents. Under their vast tent, miracles happened. One night, as I sat on the piano bench with my mom, my faith-filled father dropped to his knees, speaking of faith and trust. He slowly picked up a frail young girl out of her chair. I heard the bones cracking as her legs straightened. Soon, she was able to stand. JESUS had performed a miracle – actually two! That night one little girl walked out with new legs. The other walked out with a calling to bring healing and hope to a hurting world. As a young adult, I left a teaching position to work in Hong Kong as the education coordinator for a World Relief Vietnamese refugee camp. I spent time working in Calcutta, India, volunteering at the Home for Dying Children run by Mother Teresa. I returned home and earned a Ph.D. in Cross-Cultural Education and accepted a position at Azusa Pacific University. While teaching, I volunteered with CRU’s International School Project in Russia. We conducted conferences and spent hours with saints banished to Siberia for refusing to deny their faith. I learned the value of prayer while smuggling Bibles into Russia and China for people willing to trade anything to pursue Jesus. My work as the education coordinator for a worldwide ministry effort to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic became the stepping stone to founding Kerus. I was witness to and part of God’s work my whole life, shaped and nurtured by humble heroes of our faith along the way who inched me into my commitment to missions.
For me, Marcia, I think the missionary seed-planting in my heart was when I was a toothless kindergartener styling my “pixie” haircut. I distinctly remember sitting crosslegged on my gray mat during morning assembly, first singing “Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World,” and then listening to Barbara Cotton, a missionary working with disabled children in the country of Haiti. My heart broke for those children and I was in awe of this lady’s love and commitment. My Aunt Sara and Uncle Dave were missionaries in Hong Kong and Malaysia. World Missions Week was an annual event at our church and school, shaping my worldview with Jesus’ love for the world. I never expected to be a missionary. I intended to be a college professor, ministering by preparing public health and education students for cross-cultural practice. I volunteered my time and created college courses taught on the hills of Honduras’s coffee plantations and Haiti’s streets. But I had my “lightbulb” moment the day I stood in Botswana reading a sign that said, “Youth Project, Coffins for Sale.” My education, public health training and missionary-filled heart were colliding into a life purpose to share the Gospel and to leverage all of my academic knowledge to help the church engage to stop the pandemic of HIV/AIDS. Some might say that we left “the world” to do “full-time Christian ministry,” but we don’t see it that way. We believe that everyone’s profession or place of work is ministry. It’s a platform to demonstrate God’s love and tell the story of His incredible love and passion for the world. It’s our opportunity to stand for justice of the oppressed and a chance to partner with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to heal, restore and bring life and joy to those around us. Our homes, education and life experiences prepared us for what we do. Yours has prepared you too! It starts with a baby step, leaving certainty behind and stepping toward faith; a destination defined by the Apostle Paul as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen.” (Hebrews 11:1, KJV)
Dr. Jennie Cerullo and Dr. Marcia Ball Co-Founders & Executive Directors of Kerus Global To learn more or to donate to Kerus, visit: www.kerusglobal.org
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