Cast Your Bread

 

 Lives and Lessons
of
Richard and Kathleen Hester

From over Sixty Years of Preaching Ministry Spanning Three Continents

Fears and Faithfulness of First Church

Aspirations and Anguish of Lebanon

Trials and Triummphs of Australia

 

Introduction

Over a period of thirty-five years, I have been very reluctant to consider writing an autobiography. Numbers of people have urged me to write down the story of this farm boy’s life, since the events of the Lebanese Civil War that compelled our departure from Lebanon and later move to Australia in 1976. Up to now I have been content to confine it to verbal testimony.
Early in 2011 during a ministry trip to the Philippines, a godly, veteran missionary strongly urged me to do something, even if it were only recording my testimony on a DVD. He believed it would be a blessing and a powerful influence upon the Filipino Bible college students. That strong suggestion has added to a backlog of urgings from many friends who felt that the Lord could use such a record in the lives of others for His glory.
The “last straw” came recently when my beloved wife Kathleen said, “Just go in and start writing! I want to see the first installment by tomorrow!” Such a project would mean an extra burden on her in proofreading and sharing my time that is now devoted to her in this trying time of big change in her life. But that did it, and here we are, diving into the project!
I find it hard to write something lengthy in the first person singular. But I think of the human brain and its 3-D capabilities. It can think logically and express that logic directly. It can also set up a debate between two opposing sides of an issue and debate it back and forth. Or, it can add a third element: it stands back from the debate going on inside it to evaluate, refute and pass final judgment on that debate. Something like a referee. Thus the brain can think in the first person, the second person and the third person, either singularly or in plurality.
Keeping this capability of the mind before us, perhaps I may be allowed to take the liberty to write these lines in the same manner. Sometimes I will write in the first person directly from me to others. Other times I will pose a narrative between two others, or I will write in the third person like a narrator or a referee. Whatever the case, one and the same person is writing even when “he” or “Richard” or “the preacher” or “the missionary” is spoken of in the third person. One other thing, there may be an occasional need to change someone’s name for specific reasons known to the author. Oh yes, about the Demas principle which I follow. The biblical character Demas did some good things but later failed God and Paul. Still, the Holy Spirit led Paul to mention Demas and his good deeds, even though He knew Demas would later slip. It was the matter of giving credit where and when credit is due!
Keep in mind that my life has been, in many ways, quite ordinary and mundanely usual. However, from forty years of age and on, things changed sharply at times to the unordinary and unusual, if not dramatic. But in it all, the Lord was our Protector and Teacher, and it is that fact that I trust will not be lost on the reader.
Many mundane details will be mentioned almost like a running but sometimes disjointed diary. Some of the details will be of interest to the reader and many will not. Prospective missionaries may relate to certain perspectives and mentions that may bore others. I have no delusions; I do not consider myself the “showcase missionary” whom everyone should mimic! Our dear and trusted friends, Elmer and Mary Deal, missionaries to the Congo, have written an amazing autobiography. God used Elmer to establish 150 churches in Africa! If someone wants to know how to establish 150 churches, this autobiography may not be his pick of books. However, if you want to know how to cope with the multitude of problems involved in trying to help 150 churches, then this book may be of some help!
But, hopefully, everyone who reads this book will pick up a few threads of practical truths which will weave into a cord that will relate to them with blessing. If our small trials and their lessons can inspire and encourage others to greater trust in the Faithful Creator Who does all things well, we will rejoice and be abundantly rewarded!
The cover scene is from the Hester Ranch, so it is emotionally meaningful for me! The piece of Arabic pita bread “flying over the continents” on the back cover represents the truth of “Cast your bread upon the waters” as it will some day return in abundance. Lastly, I must express my sincere thanks and appreciation to my wife Kathleen and daughter Melody for their work in proofreading!

H. Richard Hester
January 2012

Chapter Titles

1   –   At Home on the Range

2   –   At Home in a Secular College

3   –   At Home in Bob Jones University

4   –   At Home in El Dorado, Kansas, in Temple Baptist Church

5   –   At Home in Baptist Bible College Preparing for Lebanon

6   –   At Home in Lovely Lebanon

7   –   At Home in Language Study

8   –   At Home in Arabic Ministry

9   –   At Home in Special Ministries

10  –  At Home in Times of War

11  –  At Home in Times of Change

12  –  At Home in Australia Continuing Arabic Ministry

13  –  At Home in an Unplanned Ministry

14  –  At Home in Faith Baptist Church with Pastor Nabeel Zaydan

15  –  At Home in the Sunset Years

16  –  At Home Anywhere with Jesus

Price and Availability:

Price $15 per copy including shipping

USA

Send order with check to Temple Baptist Church/Missionary Outpost, P.O. Box 823, El Dorado, KS, 67042.
Phone: 316 321 3803
Email: MissionaryOutpost@templebaptisteldorado.com

Australia

Send order with cheque to Church Ministries, 19 Patricia Street, Blacktown, NSW 2148
Phone: 02 9622 1148
Email: MissionaryOutpost@gmail.com