Remembering a legend
In 1992, while still in high school, my former youth pastor asked me if I would like to go on a trip to Borneo (West Kalimantan, Indonesia). Naturally, I accepted. I would be going with "Borneo" Bob Williams in what I believe was the largest group of people he ever took on such a trip. There were 10 of us.
We spent two weeks roaming the jungles of Borneo, riding buses, big boats, little boats (sampans), and motorcycles. We went places where they had never seen so many white people at once before. We stayed at the seminary Bob started, visited countless churches he founded, saw the clinic he ran, and so much more of the fruit of his life.
And we participated, too. I just re-read the letter I wrote to my supporters and prayer partners after I returned home. In it, I mention at least eight different services we participated in while wandering through the jungles of the interior of Borneo (I missed one due to a cold). All together I accounted for 50-60 people making some kind of commitment to follow Christ.
At that time Bob was in his early 80's. He had retired just a few years earlier after a 50-year career as a missionary in Borneo and still had more than a little spring in his step. I wondered if that would be his last trip to Borneo. A man who lives past 80 after a life in Borneo has done very well. Nevertheless, he went back again and again, maybe 10 or 15 or even 20 more times after we went together. He was truly amazing.
I saw him not quite two years ago on a trip to Fresno. He was slowing down, but still sharp. He always had a story to tell and his stories were some of the most amazing I ever heard. I might not believe them if I hadn't been to Borneo with him myself. I asked if any work was being done on a biography and was encouraged to hear that some people were, indeed, working on it (it was released about a month ago).
His accomplishments go far beyond Borneo, too. Among other things, he was one of the co-founders of New Tribes Mission. I wound up bumping into many New Tribes people not long after my Borneo trip. I went to flight school in Sanford, Florida, where New Tribes is headquartered and went to church with some of the people who worked there.
Needless to say, that trip with Bob, and our friendship for the nearly two decades since were significant positive influences for me. But in addition to the obvious impacts that trip would have on me, it had one which might have been unpredictable. When I interviewed for the job I have now, the interviewer proceeded to explain every bad thing about working here. The crowning achievement of scare tactics was his description of our habit of working the hadj. He described the 2-month temporary overseas assignment, complete with two-week break in the middle. When he told me we usually worked out of Indonesia, I asked where. He said Borneo. I smiled and asked him if I could just stay there on the break at the seminary on the other side of the island in Pontiank. I think that was basically the end of the interview...
Bob passed away on Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 at the age of 98. He left behind a unique legacy that now thrives in his absence. It was truly an honor to know such a great man. He will be missed by us all.
A summary of his life can be found here:
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2009/s09070217.htm
Just to be safe, I'll paste the contents below in case it disappears:
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Bob Williams -- Borneo missions pioneer and New Tribes co-founder - dies at 98
By Scott Tompkins
Special to ASSIST News Service
FRESNO, CA (ANS) -- Robert “Borneo Bob” Williams, who planted hundreds of churches in Indonesia over a 70-year ministry died Wednesday in Fresno, California, at the age of 98. He also was one of the three founders of New Tribes Mission, now one of the world’s largest missionary movements.
Williams and his late wife Rena began their missionary career in Indonesia (then known as the Dutch East Indies) in 1939. Over the next six decades he established schools, clinics, a small boat ministry and a seminary that has trained and sent out hundreds of native Indonesian pastors, teaches and evangelists.
His life story was recently chronicled in the book, A Promise Kept - the 70-year Ministry of Borneo’s Jungle Evangelist.
Williams was born on November 27, 1910, and first came to faith at an Aimee Semple McPherson crusade in his native Denver. He and Rena were married in 1930 and attended LIFE Bible College in Los Angeles before joining forces with evangelist Paul Rader and his Courier Ministry. Rader introduced them to Dr. Robert Jaffray, one of the most influential leaders in Asian missions for the Christian & Missionary Alliance.
Dr. Jaffray challenged the Williams to join him in taking the gospel to places in Asia where it had not yet been preached. Instead Williams moved to Arizona where he pastored small churches and worked as a cowboy and part-time sheriff. But he said the Lord kept after him. “One day I slipped out of my saddle, knelt in a sandy creek bed, and prayed, ‘Lord, if you really want to use me, I will go anywhere you send me… Let it be to people who have not yet heard the gospel.’”
As missionaries of a newly formed ministry called Go-Ye Fellowship, the Williams set out with their daughter Starr and son Robert Lee for Asia with just $12 and God’s promise from Isaiah 58:11: “The Lord shall guide thee continually…”
In 1939, they attended Dr. Jaffray’s language school in the Indies, then established their first mission station in West Borneo, working in partnership with the CMA. Williams regularly walked or paddled deep into the jungles to share Christ with the native Malay and Dayak peoples. As he planted churches among the Dayak tribes, he routinely faced dangers from poisonous snakes, crocodiles, malaria and powerful witch doctors.
The Williams family barely escaped with their lives during the Japanese invasion of Borneo in 1942. But once home in America, he continued to sound the call for missions. In 1943, Williams and his friends Paul Fleming and Cecil Dye signed the founding document of New Tribes Mission, envisioning the launch of 5,000 missionaries into unreached areas.
After the war, Bob continued to support NTM, but returned with his family to Borneo and the primitive Dayak tribes he had come to love so much. Each year he pushed deeper and deeper into the jungles, bringing with him young Dayak pastors that he had discipled. In the coming years, he also purchased several gospel boats to pick up people living along the Kapuas River and take them to the churches, clinics and schools that he started.
“Borneo Bob” baptized thousands of Dayak, Malay and Chinese believers that he personally led to Christ in villages he visited. He was affectionately called Opa (Dutch for grandfather) as his fame spread throughout the region. One of his greatest joys was the establishment of the Seminaria Theologica Kalimantan (STK) in Pontianak, West Kalimantan (Borneo), which he established with the help of Indonesian leader Ronny Welong.
In the 1980s and ‘90s, Indonesia began severely restricting western missionaries, but by then Bob Williams’ ministries were already under the leadership of native workers. In 1988 he moved to Fresno, California, so he and Rena could get medical care and they could be nearer their daughter Starr and other family.
Though he was retired, Bob Williams served as a visitation pastor at Northwest Church in Fresno, led Bible studies, and prompted the formation of Asian Partners Inc. to help support STK. In his 80s and 90s he continued to lead missions teams into Borneo. His last visit was at the age of 96.
Earlier this year he reflected, “I still marvel at God’s blessing in giving me a 70-year career in Borneo. Not many live to such an age in a place with so much disease and danger. Surely the Lord kept his promise to guide me continually.”
He and Rena were married for 67 years. She died in 1998. They are survived by their daughter Starr Madsen of Fresno; sons Robert Lee of Thousand Oaks CA and Roger of Prescott AZ; ten grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
For more information about Borneo Bob’s ministry or to order the book about his life, contact Asian Partners at 559-435-2200 or www.missions@nwc.org
Scott Tompkins has served for 20 years in communications and missions for Youth With A Mission. He and his wife Sandi recently edited A Promise Kept, the life story of Borneo Bob Williams.
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