Chuck and Doris Gailey honored for years of missionary service

South Africa

Thursday, December 18, 2008

The Gailey family traveled on 34 different flights, through Paris, Hong Kong, and Senegal. They came from the East and West coasts of the U.S. and the far-flung coast of Japan to meet in Africa to celebrate the lives of Chuck and Doris Gailey, retired Nazarene missionaries to Africa. All four of their children, spouses, and grandchildren attended. The theme of the trip was "God First."

Doris and Chuck's 50th wedding anniversary was celebrated on the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday with a dinner braai on the banks of the Lower Sabie River in Kruger National Park, South Africa.

The trip was more than a family event; however, Chuck previously served as president of Nazarene College of Theology (soon to be part of Swaziland Nazarene University). Former coworkers and partners in ministry traveled from all over the country to honor Doris and Chuck's years of service as missionaries in the Kingdom of Swaziland at a luncheon in their honor.

The family met with Swaziland East District Superintendent Timothy Dlamini and his wife in Siteki. They presented a copy of Ellen Decker's book, Africa's Soul Hope, to the Dlaminis and pledged the seed money for their district's launching of an AIDS ministry. A task force has already been appointed.

The second recipient of the Gailey Endowment Scholarship for African missionaries studying at Africa Nazarene University, Evans Katanga from Zimbabwe, was publicly announced at a dinner held in the Gailey's honor in South Africa.

On December 1, World AIDS Day, grandson Jason Decker met with the Swaziland Central District AIDS and Evangelism Task Force in Manzini for discussions on how young adults in America can become involved/assist with the AIDS crisis in Swaziland. They will be featured in his senior honors project on AIDS at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, where Jason is a 4.0 double-major with plans to go to the mission field.

Chuck and Doris were also presented with a printed book, A Legacy of Love. The 86-page book details their lives and ministries as African missionaries and later as professors at Nazarene colleges, with special mention of Chuck Gailey's training of hundreds of missionaries for the Nazarene denomination while director of the School of World Mission at Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City for 21 years.

Other highlights:
On the flight to Africa, the Deckers got to meet and converse with former President Jimmy Carter who was on his way to South Africa for meetings about the Zimbabwe crisis.
 
The entire family worshipped together in the SiSwati language at Siteki, Swaziland, Church of the Nazarene on November 30. They partnered with the church in a significant project in memory of five special Swazi friends who have since gone to be with the Lord.

The family toured Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital in Manzini, Swaziland, where the Gailey's daughter Sharon was born. They met with the couple (Will and Karis Stemen) who are part of the current Bethany, Oklahoma, Church of the Nazarene/Swaziland medical partnership.

Granddaughter Kelsey Lee was privileged to meet with her Nazarene Compassionate Ministries sponsored child, Swaziland pastor's kid Compassionate Mabila.

An enduring legacy:
Not only have the lives of Chuck and Doris impacted hundreds of missionaries around the world, they are a living testimony to God's grace through obedient lives. In 1963, as they were waiting to go to the mission field in Africa, their five-month-old daughter Ellen became gravely ill. She was rushed to the famous Children's Hospital in Boston, but doctors could not save her. The parents were called to come in to say goodbye to their dying daughter.

Before rushing out the door, Chuck and Doris did two things: they dropped to their knees and thanked God for the five months they had given them with their baby girl, and they called the Wollaston, Massachusetts, Church of the Nazarene to pray for Ellen in that evening's service. Ellen miraculously survived, but became a sickly child. A relative told Chuck and Doris, "Don't go to Africa. Surely God would want you to put your family first. If you go to Africa, you will go with two daughters and return with only one."

The Gaileys put obedience to God first and went to Africa. Ellen was again healed and the Gaileys returned for their first deputation five years later, not with two daughters, but with three!

This obedience has earmarked their entire lives and shows through their legacy: all four of their children and spouses are actively involved in the Church of the Nazarene; three of them are ordained elders. All nine grandchildren love the Lord and one is already called to missionary service. They all love Africa and its people: Rob has worked in several African countries through World Relief; Sharon has volunteered in Swaziland for several months; Ellen has been involved in several relief projects, traveling to Africa five times in the last eight years, and has written a book about the AIDS crisis and the Church in Africa (Africa's Soul Hope); and Carol maintains contact with several Swazi friends.

All of the grandchildren have been to Swaziland to see where Chuck and Doris ministered, and in recent years the three oldest grandchildren began their adult lives (turned 18) on the African continent (South Africa, Zanzibar, and Swaziland, respectively).
--NCN News Submissions (Slideshow available)
 

 

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