History of Interserve USA

Interserve USA has a double heritage — that of a British mission founded in 1852 in London, and an American mission founded in 1860 in New York City. Both missions worked in Asia and their ministries ran parallel with similar goals until 1976 when they merged.

How Did It All Begin?

The life of a nineteenth century Indian woman, especially if she was from a high-caste Hindu or Muslim family, was hard. Young girls were married off in childhood and then became the property of their husbands. They were confined to the women’s quarters of their husband’s family, called zenanas. They received neither education nor adequate medical care, since all physicians were men and thus unable to enter the zenanas. The most egregious example of oppression of women was the custom of sutee, or widow burning. A Hindu woman was held somehow responsible for her husband’s death and by immolating herself on his funeral pyre she could hope to cleanse herself of this sin.

In 1851 in Calcutta, India, a high caste Hindu woman named Mohesuri was publicly baptized. She and her cousins found a Bible, read it, and Mohesuri came to believe in Jesus Christ as her Savior.

Mrs. Mackenzie, wife of an English merchant working in India, heard about the conversion and wrote to a friend in England, Mary Jane Kinnaird, who was married to a member of Parliament. Sharing Mrs. Mackenzie's compassion for women in India, on March 1, 1852 Lady Kinnaird founded the London Board for the Calcutta Normal School and insisted that it be interdenominational. She wrote, "If we can give the women of India the power to read, and the Book to read, God will bless His Word."

Meanwhile Across the Pond

In New York City Sarah Doremus, the wife of a prominent businessman, heard a missionary from China speak about the need for women to reach women in the East. In 1861, over the resistance of many male mission leaders in America, Sarah Doremus founded the first foreign mission society in America established and run by women, the Woman's Union Missionary Society (WUMS). They had only women Board members and only women missionaries. The mission was interdenominational — unheard of then. In 1862 Miss Harriet Britain was sent to India.

Expansion

In 1880 the Zenana Mission in England added medical work to its ministry and became Zenana Bible & Medical Mission (ZBMM). In a day when women doctors were a rarity both the UK and US seemed to have no problems finding dedicated Christian women physicians. Many of these women went into medicine in order to be missionaries. In 1883 WUMS began medical work in China and cooperated with other churches and mission groups.

A New Century, New Challenges

In 1936 ZBMM in London was having severe financial difficulties and another world war seemed imminent. The Board voted on whether or not to be absorbed by their Anglican counterpart, Church of England Zenana Missionary Society. By one vote the decision was made to remain independent and interdenominational.

The 1950s brought many changes to the fellowship. In 1951 work in China ended for WUMS, but the door to Nepal opened. WUMS became a member of the United Mission of Nepal - ZBMM was already a member. In 1952, one hundred years after its founding, ZBMM admitted men. Under the leadership of Jack Dain and Alan Norrish, men joined as missionaries and team leaders. Auxiliary committees were formed in other countries and these committees soon became full sending Councils. Direction of the mission now came from all the Councils - each Council with one vote. Instead of a British mission, ZBMM became an international mission. The fellowship also began divesting themselves of institutions and property, turning them over to Christian nationals. In 1957 the organization became the Bible & Medical Missionary Fellowship (BMMF).

In 1964 the U.S. Council of BMMF was formed under the guidance of the already formed Canadian Council. Canada guided the U.S. Council administrative policies until 1974 when Dr. Jay W. MacMoran was appointed as Acting Director. Charter Board members included Dr. C. Everett Koop, former Surgeon General.

A Time of Expansion

In 1970 WUMS changed its name to United Fellowship for Christian Service (UFCS) and men joined their Council. Serious discussions began concerning merger with BMMF. In 1974 Alan Norrish, a BMMF missionary, completed his assignment in Afghanistan and came to the U.S. to begin the merger process. In 1976 UFCS moved to Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, and both missions became known as BMMF International. In that year the fellowship became fully independent of the Canadian Council. In 1986 Dr. Ralph Eckardt became the first American native U.S. Director and, soon after, the name was changed to International Service Fellowship, known as Interserve. In January 2004 Rev. Douglas Van Bronkhorst became our Executive Director.

Looking to the Future

International Service Fellowship has over 150 years of servant hood and service. Our mission — to glorify God by serving his Church and sharing Jesus Christ in holistic ministry where He is least known — has not changed. New challenges bring new opportunities. We are servants for the hard places. And the places where we serve are still hard.