On Tuesday evening I caught a fish; my first one ever! My boys and I celebrated the momentous accomplishment. First fish in thirty-six years of life. It sure has taken me a while to get it done, hasn’t it?

Oddly enough, the moment I reeled in that unfortunate bunker fish, my mind drifted from the scene to one of my most favorite stories; that of Assemblies of God pioneer missionary to Tibet, Victor Plymire. Plymire, who lived and ministered during the first half of the Twentieth Century, labored a long time before his first catch too, except he wasn’t fishing for bunker, bass, or bluefish, but for souls.

It took Victor Plymire sixteen years of intense effort, enormous hardship and danger, and astonishing sacrifice before the first Tibetan made a commitment to Christ. During that seemingly fruitless time, Plymire lost his dear wife Grace and young son John to smallpox. He was forced to care for both until the end alone, and once they had passed, Victor had to construct coffins, dig holes, and bury his loved ones on the side of a mountain. No Tibetan would lend a hand and no one would offer or sell the missionary a burial plot.

It was the darkest time imaginable for Victor Plymire, yet by God’s amazing grace he persevered in his calling and mission. Victor continued to love the Tibetans and he established long-lasting relationships with the few who opened their hearts to him. After sixteen years, the missionary had his first convert. Finally, his many years of faithful service, hard work, and godly perseverance had paid off!

From then on Plymire embarked on numerous trans-Tibetan expeditions and consequently won scores of people to the Lord. His best catch, however, was yet to come...

Victor Plymire buried his wife Grace and son John in 1927 on the side of a ridge overlooking the Tibetan valley where the town lay. He was forced to buy the plot and dig the graves himself, because no one would grant him permission to bury his loved ones in the town cemetery. Plymire labored faithfully in Tibet until his passing in 1956. He won numerous Tibetans to Christ during his fifty years of missionary service; however, his greatest dividends in souls came after his death.

In 1990 Tibet was under Chinese rule. The church in the town where Victor Plymire lived with Grace and John sought to officially reopen. The Chinese government initially denied the congregation their request on the grounds that it lacked proof the property purchased by Plymire had been used as a church. In desperation, the pastor asked Plymire’s family to search his belongings for any written evidence that could prove the property belonged to the church. What they found was astonishing.

For some reason always known to God, Victor had deeded the hillside grave of Grace and John, not in his name but in the name of his church. The church name had remained the same throughout the decades; therefore, the deed was still good. The Chinese allowed the church to exist and the congregation exploded with growth. Today that church has a weekly attendance of over 6,000 believers!

Had Victor Plymire been granted permission to bury his wife and son in the town cemetery, he would have never bought the burial plots, nor would they have been registered in the name of the church; thus, the deed would not have been available to ‘save the day’ in 1990. Though the town cemetery had been leveled decades prior and apartments had been built over it, the Plymire grave lay undisturbed on the edge of the sprawling town.

The providence of the Almighty is amazing, isn’t it? Out of the missionary’s most sorrowful and bitter experience came the greatest soul-harvest in Tibet. Romans 8:28 says, “God works all things for good for those who love Him and who are the called according to His purpose.” Every trial you and I face can and will be used by our Heavenly Father to bring joy, purpose, and victory in our lives. He works all things for good—believe it today!

Pastor Marios