Missional Church in Action: Eastminster Pres Learns Firsthand the Value of a Mustard Seed

How does an Ethiopian end up as the pastor of missions and discipleship in (by his own account) an “extremely wealthy, lily white” Presbyterian congregation in Columbia, South Carolina—and how is it that he happens to speak with an authentic Southern accent, to boot?  That is a question that only Amos Disasa, of Eastminster Presbyterian Church, in Columbia, South Carolina, can answer.  His explanation has something to do with the kingdom of God as a mustard seed.

Disasa has been working to strengthen Eastminster’s long-term mission partnership with the Christian non-profit organization, Hope Unlimited, in her ministry to Brazil’s street children.  And Disasa has a vested interest in seeing this relationship succeed.  That is because he is himself the indirect product of a little hope. 

The story goes that before Hope Unlimited in Brazil there was Hope Enterprises in Ethiopia.  Hope Enterprises began with two Presbyterian missionaries, Jack and Evangel Smith, who saw a need in their own backyard and decided to respond.  The need?  Poor Ethiopian children who could use a little assistance.  Disasa’s father, a poor shepherd boy, was one of them.  The Smiths took him in as a son-- as one of many they would eventually “adopt” through Hope Enterprises, which now assists some 25,000 to 30,000 Ethiopian children daily. 

Borrowing the successful model of Hope Enterprises, Hope Unlimited began in 1991 as an effort to rescue the thousands of Brazil’s now 7 million street children who were being gunned down as a “public nuisance.”  These children suffer every imaginable form of abuse, neglect, violence and exploitation, including an average survival rate of three to four years on the streets. 

Since its beginnings, Hope Unlimited has been honored with numerous awards for its success in developing an intensive program of rehabilitation addressing the children’s physical, emotional and spiritual needs and ensuring that very few of those who come to Hope end up back on the streets.  And now Hope Unlimited is teaching others how to replicate its “best practices.”

Disasa, who spent six months working as an English instructor with Hope, shared some of those “best practices.”  They include, among others: a commitment to employing the indigenous population as staff with a view to making Hope Unlimited a fully Brazilian “owned and operated” venture that is sustainable in the longer term; a low ratio of employees to children; a holistic approach to the well-being of the children with full-time teachers, psychologists, social workers and pastors (all Brazilians) on staff; a vocational school that equips the children with job training in areas like baking or auto repair; the hiring of Christian families who serve as house parents and live and eat meals with the children on the same ranch, modeling what it means to be Christian husband and wives, parents and children; and a tough love approach that incorporates discipline when necessary.

Eastminster Pres and Hope Unlimited are now long-time friends.  Their relationship began some fifteen years ago-- thanks to Disasa’s father, Jerman.  Remember the poor shepherd boy adopted by the Smiths?  He had eventually gone on to get his Ph.D. and to take an academic post at Presbyterian College in South Carolina, where his son, Disasa, would in turn grow up as a member of the Eastminster congregation.  Jerman brought a proposal to Eastminster on behalf of Hope Unlimited, asking for funds that would build Hope Unlimited’s first ranch for girls.  (At the time, Hope was working exclusively with boys.)  Eastminster came through- first with the funds ($350,000) and then with her own hands in the form of teams sent to work on building the ranch from scratch.  Since then, the two groups have remained in constant contact.

And that is how it is that Disasa can speak with zeal about the children whose lives Eastminster has been able to touch with the Good News of Jesus Christ.  “I can’t even begin to do these stories justice.  You’ve got to hear the stories of these children.  They hear about Hope and walk hundreds of miles just to get through the gates.  They were left in the streets by their parents, and some were in gangs, or were concubines for drug lords…or they were prostitutes, or thieves, or in prison,” says Disasa.  He recalls Thayan and Diana, siblings who were rescued out of poverty after being deserted by their parents and eventually went on, with the help of Hope, to become fully functioning, contributing members of society, one a lawyer and the other training to become a flight attendant.

Meanwhile, the ripple effect of one mustard seed in the form of a helping hand to a poor shepherd boy continues.  Amos’ father, Jerman, has borrowed some of the practices of Hope Unlimited to respond to the needs in his own backyard, just as his adopted parents did years ago in Ethiopia: Jerman has begun an educational mentoring program called “Champs” for bright kids from poor, rural South Carolina.  Thanks to those efforts, over 300 kids have been able to go on to college who would otherwise not have been able to. 

To join with Eastminster in supporting their work as they partner with Hope Unlimited, contact Amos Disasa at (803)256-1654, or at adisasa@eastminster-pcusa.org.

To learn more about Hope Unlimited and how you can help, contact Steve Bostian at (828)773-4093, or at sbostian@hopeunlimited.org.

To learn more about “Champs” and how you can get involved, contact Jerman Disasa at (864)844-8377.