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Jensen / When a missionary is murdered

Major Geoff Freind and wife Lyn.
Major Geoff Freind and wife Lyn.

WEST Australian Salvation Army Major Geoff Freind was killed in Malawi, Eastern Africa last week. He was on a five-week missionary preaching tour, during which he was brutally assaulted. He leaves behind a wife and four sons.

Some may see this as simply a sad story of an unfortunate travel incident, but there is a deeper story that must be told. The reality is that for missionaries like Geoff, assault and death are not uncommon. Geoff knew the dangers and the risks. Geoff knew about the gangs and high murder rates. Geoff still went.

Now I am not implying that his assault was necessarily related to the preaching he was doing in Malawi. It may have just been a robbery gone too far. However, what is clear was that this was a dangerous area he had chosen to go into, and his primary motivation was one of service, support and salvation for the people of Malawi.

Many Australians have a dim view of Christian missionaries, mostly revolving around the harsh narratives of the churches’ “partnership” with the Australian government in the Stolen Generations. However, not only do we owe a great deal to missionaries like Geoff for much of the positive work done in indigenous communities in the last 200 years, but in fact we owe them for much that is good in our global societies today.

In 2012 a research paper was published in the American “Political Science Review” by sociologist Robert Woodberry. It was the fruit of more than a decade of work, 50+ researchers and hundreds of thousands of kilometres travelled. The question he sought to answer was: “Why did some developing countries turn into corrupt dictatorships, while others turn into flourishing democracies?”

He explored every option and the answer is a surprising one: if you were a developing nation between 1880 and 1930, and had a large number of these missionaries, you became a flourishing democracy. If you had little or none, then your health, education, government, economy, rights, and corruption were all much worse 80 years on.

Despite an outcry against this preposterous conclusion, Woodberry’s paper received more awards for its thorough, accurate and ground-breaking work than any other in the publication’s history. It also makes some sense when you follow the logic.

These missionaries went to dangerous areas, taught people (particularly the poor) not only that they have inherent worth as human creatures made in the image of God, but also how to read the Bible. With the missionaries’ help these people then pushed education and printing presses, challenged the colonising country and corporations on human rights abuses, used money more wisely and brought integrity and honesty into their own government structures. A strong middle class, accountable government and healthy economies were the result which supported the growth of an overall flourishing democracy.

Often these missionaries lost their lives in the process, but that was the price they were willing to pay to bring their message of hope and worth. Although we may not acknowledge it often, we are deeply in their debt. Maj. Geoff Freind, we honour you and the sacrifice you and many other missionaries like you have made. May God rest your soul.

Contributions to Geoff’s family to 137258 or my.salvationarmy.org.au/donations/single-donation and put “Geoff Freind” in the comments section.

Nick Jensen is the director of the Lachlan Macquarie Institute, which helps develop leaders in public policy (lmi.org.au)

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One Response to Jensen / When a missionary is murdered

Tony Caravella says: 15 October 2016 at 7:50 am

I was shocked and saddened to learn that my dear friend Major Geoff Freind was killed after a senseless attack in Malawi. Thank you for your article about this.

I knew Geoff personally. He was a great man who believed passionately in his calling and the work he was doing. It is so tragically unfair that such a great man’s life and work should end this way. I pray that this senseless crime is properly investigated and that the perpetrator(s) face justice.

Tony Caravella

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