Pearl Stark: Missionary Hero
At the 1937 General Assembly, Pearl and her husband, Edmond, offered their services to the Missions Board for Angola, West Africa. Edmond was a lifelong member of the Church of God in Oklahoma, but his new bride had only joined the church around the time of their marriage.
Pearl had served one year at an orphanage in China, and 3-1/2 years as missionary to Liberia, West Africa. In the vast land of Angola, were dark, virgin fields and hundreds of tribes who had never heard of Jesus.
The young missionary couple entered their ministry with great energy, and soon organized a mission station. Sadly, after only a short time on the mission field, Edmond contracted malaria and died. He was buried on his beloved soil in Angola at a burial place for Christians of the mission, and was the first Church of God missionary to die on the field. Pearl returned to the States for a time, but returned to Africa in 1948. She labored near the resting place of Edmond until her furlough in 1953.
Arriving again in Angola in 1954, Pearl soon began to experience failing health and the Missions Board brought her to America for furlough. Unfortunately, disaster struck and the office of the Governor General of Angola gave executive orders to cease the missions endeavor. God knew her passion, and in 1959, Pearl was granted a temporary visa to Angola. She continued to work in Angola, Nigeria, and later retired to the United States. In 18 years, the Church of God in Angola grew from zero to over 3,000 members.
Although Edmond’s death was a terrible blow, his death was not a defeat, but a victory. His death stirred the entire church to the depths of its soul and kindled a missions spirit that has grown into a mighty flame around the world.
Edmond died for missions; Pearl lived for missions. She had to take up the torch!
(Source: cogwm.org
