Hank (right) and Bobbie Langer.
Marlene McPherson, Outlook Writer
THEY ARE missionaries. Hank and Bobbie Langer left Missouri in the United States of America on a mission to Port Morant, St. Thomas.
Bobbie is a registered nurse and an ordained minister of the gospel. Hank was in the tyre business. Both sold their house, land and everything they own, to start life afresh in Jamaica.
Bobbie feels strongly that God has sent her to serve in Port Morant.
Since their arrival they have served not only the church community in the parish, but they have dedicated their time, skills and financial resources to early childhood education as well.
Hank and Bobbie have built and supplied more than 21 of these schools with desks and chairs since 2003.
It started when Hank had bought 10 plastic chairs for a basic school in the parish. He told Outlook, "I bought the chairs for $150 each, but on observation they were flimsy. One night the Lord gave me a dream and showed me how to build the chair. I came down and built it then sized it."
Since then they have been making desk and chairs for the early childhood institutions and both see this as part of their ministry, called 'My Father's House Ministry'. By the end of 2004 they had made 234 chairs and 37 desks. Already in 2005 Hank has made 281 chairs and 40 tables.
When Outlook visited the Langers recently, they made a count of 513 chairs and 77 tables. The financial resources came from their own fixed income, as well as donations of cash and new and used lumber.
They are faced with challenges, however, which may stall this aspect of their ministry. To make a set of six chairs and one table cost about $2,200 plus there is a cost involved in paying a hired hand to help with the painting, so here's an invitation to you.
"We are inviting you to be a part of this very worthy project. We can reach further if you are reaching with us."
They are asking for materials to make the furniture ... scraps of wood. If a piece of plywood is a foot, for example, it can be used to make a chair seat. The table tops are 26 x 48 inches.
Both husband and wife believe in the virtues of education.
"Children are to be taught early to go to school regularly, and Jamaica will be better," advocated Bobbie.
They have even sponsored children to school by providing lunch money on a daily basis and have given refrigerator and other pieces of items to a school.
Hank and Bobbie are asking Jamaicans to "labour with us for Jamaica's children."
More challenging
But even as they labour for Jamaica's children, a few persons do not seem to appreciate what they are doing and have made their work that more challenging. They have had opposition from persons who wear their hair in locks similar to that of the Rastafarians. These persons have hurled discriminatory remarks at them and have behaved in a violent manner towards them. In fact on one occasion Hank was stabbed by a member of this group. The matter, he said, ended up in the courts and after repeated hearings the accused was fined for wounding him.
Despite this opposition they still are here because these incidents have not thwarted the will of God for their lives.
Bobbie has committed herself to the Wesleyan Holiness Church to the work along with the Pastor Errol Scott, in the 'helping ministry'.
The couple have given out hundreds of study Bibles to persons who want to study God's word.
