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A Concern Resolved into Action

“If I can ever do something about this I will,” declared a young man in the U. S. military while stationed in the Philippines during World War II.  And do something about it he did for he was a person of resolve.

This resolve was that of Irvin Leinbach upon seeing people upon people – children to grandparents – pressed against the fence outside the American camp begging for the food left in their mess kits. Over and over he questioned, “How can life be so unfair!”

Upon his discharge, he and his brother founded Leinbach Machinery Company, a prospering enterprise that became an international business.  He and his wife Gretta Gene traveled extensively for the company and made a practice of visiting Moravian mission stations and getting to know the leaders there.  He knew personally the leaders in India, Africa and Latin America.  In each instance he learned of the crushing poverty of people.

Irvin and his wife with two Bethania friends were invited by Br. and Sr. Obed Kundan to represent American Moravians at the twenty-fifth anniversary of Moravian Institute in Rajpur, India. The school’s academic achievements were rated highly.  He became intensive in thought as he watched refugees from Tibet make hand-tied rugs, up to 75,000 knots to the yard from beautifully dyed yarn. “Why couldn’t we help sell those rugs in America and give more employment to stricken Tibetans?”

Back home with a small corps of mission minded Bethanians, Moravian Tibetan Rug Shop opened in October 1989 in a house across Reynolda Road from the business. Gretta Gene, he recalls, furnished the money for the first rug order.  She was known as a hard worker in the family business who lived simply that others might have a better life.

Both became more and more involved with ways they could help people.  Soon other crafts were added: muhugu wood furniture, jewelry and carvings, linens, wall hangings, musical instruments, sheep skin rugs, mohair blankets, toys, nine foot wooden giraffes, baskets, etc.  Profits go to the craftsmen, to churches, training schools and hospitals.  Upon relocation the shop became the World Mission Shop. 

Another mission effort to which he devoted daily after-work hours and Saturday afternoons was the cargo project.  People in the area donated typewriters, sewing machines, tools, clothes, chain saws, musical instruments, a welder, books and hospital equipment sufficient to fill three shipping containers each the size of a moving van.  These items were disbursed to Sumbawanga and Sikonge Hospitals, for new church building in Sumbawanga and Tabora, in Tanzania and tools for the training school in Honduras.

Amazed at the rapid growth of the church in Tanzania, Gretta Gene did not accompany Irvin on the second trip but donated the price of air travel to send bicycles to the visiting evangelists. They enjoyed having a part in projects where souls were experiencing the joy of salvation and lives being lifted from hunger and depression. (by Sr. Louise Kapp)

A Global Mission Society that Cares

        Fairview Moravian Church Maggie Styers Missionary Chapter helped these projects in 2003:

- Alas de Socorro, George Goff – Honduras   $7,130.00

- Eliz. Marx Scholarships – Nicaragua             $ 1,250.00

- Kanoy Scholarship – Honduras                     $ 1,000.00

- Asia Ministry Team                                       $    50.00

- Bragg Family – Jordan                                   $1,000.00

- Anchorage Building Fund Alaska                    $   250.00

- HIV/AIDS Ministry – BWM Global                $    250.00

- Shipping Help for Sierra Leone Project           $    250.00

- Fairview Youth Heifer International Project      $    250.00

- Yupik Mission Relief – Chukotka Russia          $    250.00

- Cherokee Children Project – Oaks, OK         $    500.00

                                                TOTAL         $12,180.00

This report is the stewardship of an active involved group that makes missions an important part of their concern. If a church this size, and a group of moderate size can do this much, how much could the Southern Province do if we had this kind of Christian concern?