“I was honored to meet them and they wanted me to say something to those gathered at the church. However, what do I say to people who are doing exactly what the Bible says – helping and loving the poor? So that’s what I said and was humbled beyond words,” he said.
do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” Joyce Long has called Center Grove home since 1987. She has taught language arts at Greenwood Middle School and coordinated marketing for Mount Pleasant Christian Church and communications for Center for Global Impact. Currently Joyce enjoys freelance writing and co-leading Heartland Christian Writers.
Before returning to Greenwood, Harty spent time at CICM and worked in their dental clinic. He enjoyed time with the kids housed at their Children’s Home, and sharing the pulpit with Dr. Ajai Lall. Before he left from Delhi, Harty was able to set-up one final dental clinic for Afghani refugees, which included both Christians and Muslims. His contact was a pastor who had converted to Christianity. Because of this, he is pursued by death squads and is in constant danger. However, his ministry extends to Muslims who also have fled Afghanistan. “My first patient was clearly Muslim, and I greeted him in the Muslim way, and that caused quite a stir, but the pastor was smiling,” said Harty. “Everything is translated from the language this group is from [several dialects exist in Afghanistan] to Hindi and then over to me in English. The stir was because I was honoring who they were, which I have tried to do everywhere I have worked. It’s just polite, but was significant that I was culturally sensitive – and it matters, especially in this case.” While Harty’s philosophy is based upon empowering the poor with the Gospel, he sees value in working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that focus on microenterprise and revolving loans. Harty tells of an Indian woman whose son had heart issues. She sold snacks to support her family. Onein.org, a local NGO, provided an interest-free loan of $25, or 600 rupees, for her to buy more materials. “In her first week, she already made her first payment. When she pays the $25 back, she will receive another loan to grow her business,” said Harty. Harty’s passion to serve the poor is reminiscent of clergyman Edward Everett Hale’s famous quote, “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot
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14 / GREENWOOD COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER / DECEMBER 2014 / atGreenwood.com