Soaring Higher: One Man’s True Story of the Faithfulness of God in a Life of Travel and Adventure around the World

By Dr. Philip C. Eyster

Dr. Philip Eyster has been in Christian ministry since 1976. He made his first international trip in 1981, and since then, has ministered in over 40 countries around the world. In addition to bringing humanitarian aid and disaster relief to many places around the globe, he has brought the gospel to jungle villages, desert tribes, schools, factories, hospitals, AIDS clinics, leper colonies, open-air markets, and countless transportation hubs. All this has resulted in some alarming, hilarious, dangerous, and sensitive cross-cultural situations. His life is a witness to the provision, protection, and faithfulness of God. Over the years they have given a clear gospel witness along with food, water, sanctuary, medicine, eye glasses, and training to hundreds of thousands of people. Dr. Eyster is the founder and president of Eagle Projects International, and along with their partners, they have rescued hundreds of girls from sex trafficking, supplied doctors to the uncared for, and planted churches in the remotest areas of the world. In this book, he tells a story that began in 1963 and continues through the present with tales of humor, tears, dangers, and miracles.

About the Author
Dr. Philip C. Eyster, B.A. (Gordon College); M.Div. (Western Seminary); D. Min. (Mid-America Seminary); Founder and President of Eagle Projects International, Maine, USA. EPI has worked on six continents in over 40 countries bringing aid, education, and the Gospel since 1989. He and his wife Marcia have seven children and a bunch of grandchildren. They make their home in the North Woods of Maine, USA.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aneko Press
• Release date: Sep 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781622455782

Dr. Philip C. Eyster

Dr. Phil Eyster, B.A., M.Div., D.Min., realized early in his Christian life that God had called him to international ministry. Eagle Projects International, where he serves as president, conducts evangelism, church planting, leadership training, and humanitarian work in countries around the world – from the mountains of Nepal to the favelas of Brazil, from India to Italy, from Mozambique to Myanmar, and in places where the gospel has never been or rarely been preached. Phil has studied at Gordon College, Western Seminary, and Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his amazing wife, Marcia, live in rural Maine. They have seven children, including two adopted daughters from China.

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Soaring Higher

One Man’s True Story of the Faithfulness of God In a Life of Travel and Adventure Around the World

Dr. Philip C. Eyster

Contents

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Introduction

Ch. 1: Welcome to the Glamorous Life

Ch. 2: Go into All the World

Ch. 3: God Gives the Increase

Ch. 4: Follow Me

Ch. 5: What God is Doing

Ch. 6: Open Doors

Ch. 7: Blood-Stained Shoes

Ch. 8: Getting There

Ch. 9: Third-World Miscommunication

Ch. 10: The God You Cannot Kill

Ch. 11: Hungry for the Gospel

Ch. 12: Some Like It Not

Ch. 13: Of Whom the World is Not Worthy

Ch. 14: Unto the Least of These

Ch. 15: Where Will You Go?

Ch. 16: Frontline Theology

Epilogue

About the Author

About Eagle Projects International

Acknowledgements

Although this book has my name on the front, it could not have been written without the participation of hundreds of people. Since surrendering my life to the Lord in 1976, my family and friends supported me with prayer and finances through college and seminary, many times giving anonymously. Since 1989, hundreds have volunteered to participate on Eagle Projects. Without their help and sacrifice of time and money, we would not be able to write the stories contained in this book.

I am also indebted to our overseas partners, many of whom I have known for decades. Their preparation and vision provide the foundation on which we operate. They minister in very difficult situations in spite of danger, pressure, and personal needs.

My family has faithfully lived this ministry alongside of me. My children grew up packing for Daddy, and watching him head out the door every few weeks. Their patience with my jet lag and their unconditional love has never wavered. They’ve made it easy to be a dad and are a constant source of joy and stability through many absences.

I am also indebted to the late Jo Lowe, the original publisher, and also to my friend and author Hugh Ashton of Lichfield, England, who got the whole project started years ago.

The Eagle Project board of directors and staff, past and present, have consistently provided friendship, wisdom, and oversight. I’m grateful they understand what it means to run the ministry by faith.

Our church families at Abbot Evangelical Free Church in Maine and Summerside Community Church on Prince Edward Island have been a source of encouragement and help to my family for many years.

John Pullen, from Monson, Maine, joined the ministry in 1999. For over seventeen years he has faithfully served the Lord and others on dozens of projects. John makes up for my deficiencies, and his unique gifts and personality have made our projects fun and rewarding for hundreds of volunteers.

Lastly, I’m indebted to my wife, Marcia. Midway through this writing project, I suggested that we put her name on the front. She flatly rejected the idea. However, the truth is that this book would not have been written if it were not for her input. She helped me to persevere in the writing and then lovingly typed or read every word. For two years, we edited and rewrote the manuscript many times over, and she had input into everything it contains. When we married in 1981, neither one of us had any idea that she would have to endure such long absences, being left alone to homeschool, run the household, and figure out how to pay the bills . . . often making bricks without straw. She is the silent partner in every story this book contains.

Philip C. Eyster

Maine, USA

June 2018

Foreword

I am absolutely delighted to see this book come into existence. I have long hoped for others to have the opportunity to hear these stories which I have seen and heard. Whether huddled up against the cold in Nepal, or resting in the shade in Ghana, or sitting in my own living room in the United States, I have listened with laughter, joy, and conviction to many of these stories over the years. Even as I read the draft of this book, I would call my family together to read to them significant portions. My children love Dr. Eyster stories, which have led to uproarious bouts of laughter and times of challenging examination, which I pray will help fortify their souls for faith and perseverance. You have a real privilege in getting to read these stories yourself now.

It has been my privilege to know Phil for over twenty years and to see him in action on four different continents. He embodies for me two terms which are so often abused: evangelist and living by faith. So often I have seen the idea of living by faith used to cover foolish presumption, but Phil has given me an example of truly and faithfully depending on God, which has deeply encouraged and challenged me. You cannot lead an independent mission agency, raise a large family, and take the gospel all over the world for all these years without relying deeply on God’s provision. I have watched him walk through tight financial times, continuing to trust God, being wise and persevering.

Then, too often, supposed evangelists are interested only in counting responses, relying on shallow messages, and having no concern for discipleship or for the life of the local church. Phil is the healthy example of an evangelist to which I point my students, a man gifted in gospel proclamation, as well as teaching, with a heart for the local church. I love how his evangelistic work is always tied to a local church. I have stood on a dirt pile with him in a third-world country as he called people to faith and then introduced them to a local pastor pointing out the location of his church and the times of their services. Phil gets that evangelism involves rooting people into local churches that they might grow, participate in kingdom work, and glorify God. We need many more of his type today. I pray many will read this book and be challenged to pursue the sort of ministry modeled here.

Because of what I have just said, one wonderful way to invest in global missions would be to support financially Eagle Projects International (EPI). People I have introduced to this ministry commonly comment on the integrity and frugality Phil exhibits with the handling of resources. Zealous work, theological rigor, and personal integrity make Phil and EPI a ministry I am excited to support wholeheartedly.

I still remember Phil arriving at our house in Scotland – just in from evangelizing in a remote, unreached area, having also with him a Hebrew psalter, his Greek New Testament, and an unabridged copy of Les Misérables. He also typically has with him several DVDs of deep theological lectures, the complete collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, and BBC productions of Dickens or Jane Austen. Conversation would range easily from movies to travel gear to world history, literature, politics, theological controversies, and mission strategy. Again, he is a model of thoughtful interaction with the world around him and profound theological engagement paired with passionate evangelistic activity. This is an interesting man with fascinating stories, which will entertain, instruct, and convict. Take up, read, ponder and pass this book along to others. You, and they, will be glad you did.

Ray Van Neste

Dean and Professor of Biblical Studies

School of Theology and Missions

Union University

Introduction

About ten years ago, I had the opportunity to preach in Scotland. A good friend of mine invited me to his church in Aberdeen on my way through the UK to Africa. He was an American and knew that I had never preached in Scotland. He warned me that while the Scottish are wonderfully warm people, the congregation would probably not react with Amen or Preach it, brother during the message, as they felt it was not proper to talk or laugh out loud in church.

I was a bit nervous before I stood up to preach, and happened to look at the printed order of the service outlining the hymns, prayers, and announcements. I immediately noticed the hymn following my message made for an intriguing juxtaposition of words. Reading down the right-hand column, it said, Dr. Philip C. Eyster . . . ‘Do You Really Care?’

As I began to speak, I asked them to look at the bulletin and the arrangement of my name with the hymn. That got them. They could not help themselves and laughed for a full minute.

For years, many people encouraged me to write a book of stories from the field. My reaction was kind of like the hymn title – Who would really care? The years went by and the stories multiplied. I related them many times in sermons, newsletters, or ministry presentations, but I never bothered to write them down in a cohesive order that might make sense or interesting reading.

In the summer of 2013, a publisher heard some of my tales and thought that they would make an interesting read. Without that encouragement and commitment, I never would have stopped long enough to write them down here.

While the book originally started out as short stories from the field, it expanded to include recollections of God’s faithfulness throughout my life. After God called me to the ministry, it took many years before He led me into the work I do today – a cross between a missionary, an evangelist, a teacher, and a preacher. I have had the privilege of traveling to over thirty countries preaching the gospel, planting churches, and training pastors. As a husband and father of seven, I’ve seen God’s hand at work as much at home as overseas.

Many of these tales took place many years ago. I’ve tried to relate them as accurately as I am able. Where possible, I’ve contacted others who were present to check my facts. Any errors contained herein are unintentional and wholly mine.

In order to protect the privacy of our volunteers and partners, I have not included their photos or named any of them. They know who they are and that these projects would not have been possible without them. In addition, as many of the ministry stories occurred in sensitive places where Christians are persecuted, it was necessary to change or hide the locations and names of people involved. These changes do not affect the purpose of the book, which is to glorify God by calling attention to His powerful intervention in our family and ministry.

Dr. Philip C. Eyster

President, Eagle Projects International

Sangerville, Maine, USA

Chapter One

Welcome to the Glamorous Life

London, Paris, Hong Kong, Rio, Bangkok, Bombay, Beijing, and Kathmandu – these places scream adventure, excitement, and glamour. After decades of travel, there is a standard joke our team recites to each other when we find ourselves trapped in uncomfortable conditions: Welcome to the glamorous life. The sarcasm isn’t lost on anyone. Staying in huts, traveling in the back of trucks, wading through mud, trash, and human waste become normal and anything but glamorous. The accommodations are whatever is available and the food is generally the best the people can provide. We are always grateful, but sometimes gratitude can only go so far.

Years ago in the Philippines, we stayed in a home that was fairly spacious, by local standards. It would even have been considered upscale. It had cement walls and a tin roof, but almost no ventilation. The island humidity made the house a sauna. During the day, the sun would heat up the cinder block walls, and at night, they would discharge the heat inside.

When my friend and I walked into the guest room, we looked at each other and said, This is going to be a problem. I had a thermometer with me that read 130 degrees, with near 100-percent humidity. Neither one of us slept that first night. We lay on our backs with sweat dripping onto the sheets. We had one oscillating fan, but two beds. Depending on the direction of the wind, our thoughts alternated between life and death.

The heat and lack of sleep led to the next problem – dehydration and a lack of appetite. The next morning, neither of us wanted to eat. Our hosts were very nervous about trying to please us, and kept offering food suggestions. The problem wasn’t the choice of food, it was the temperature of the house. During the day, we went out to preach at schools and open-air markets. By late afternoon, we returned to bake in the preheated room.

By day two, we both developed symptoms of dehydration: headache, dizziness, loss of appetite, and fatigue. The second night was only slightly better than the first, as we had purchased a second fan, which meant we both could receive hot air at the same time.

Day three dawned, and looking at food was nauseating. The only things we could stomach were pineapple and water. My friend and I discussed the situation and, though we knew it would disappoint our hosts, we were going to have to find an air-conditioned hotel. Our plan was to do the ministry that day, and then in the afternoon, inform them of our decision. As my friend was the leader, it was his responsibility to let them know we were leaving. About ten minutes later, he came back and said, We can’t leave. He tried to explain our situation to them, but when he did, the husband pleaded with us to stay, and his wife and mother-in-law started weeping, begging us not to leave. We laid down on our beds and pondered our fate. We’re going to die. How do you stand up to a crying grandmother?

Later, the wife came into the room and requested us to look in her pantry and pick out something we would eat. As my friend was now bedridden, I went out into the kitchen, praying that God would help me find something. I looked for bread, crackers, or saltines . . . something bland. There was nothing that looked appealing, but I had to pick something. For some crazy reason, the least objectionable, most familiar item at the moment seemed to be a can of Del Monte creamed corn. Pointing to the corn, I said, We can eat this. She was excited. She had finally found something we would eat. I went back to the room, announced my discovery, and waited for dinner.

In a few minutes, the woman walked into the room and proudly presented us with two tall glasses of creamed corn over ice. We were speechless and could barely utter the words, Thank you. What on earth were we going to do? I had just picked this out. How could I possibly not eat it? After the earlier crying episode, this would kill them. I ended up going into the family bathroom and flushing it down the toilet, taking care not to leave any residue in the bowl.

That evening my friend was too sick to preach at our evening meeting, so I went alone. When I returned around nine o’clock, he was nearly unconscious and his speech was slurred. "That’s it! We won’t last another night! We have to get out of here!" I announced to the family that my friend was too sick, and he needed an air-conditioned hotel immediately. In ten minutes, I packed our bags and helped him to the car. As we pulled away from the curb, I could hear two women crying.

On the way to the hotel, I was convinced we would both end up in the hospital with an IV, but it’s amazing what cool air will do. After an hour in the hotel room, we knew we were going to live. Within two hours, we both felt like eating, and I was ordering room service. Within four hours, our headaches were gone. That night we slept like rocks and woke up the next morning as if resurrected from the dead.

We stayed at that hotel for the remainder of the trip. I’m not sure our hosts ever forgave us for leaving. However, even today, I can still see that tall glass of creamed corn on the rocks and hear those women weeping. The creamed corn was just another slice of the glamorous life.

I’ve stayed in countless foreign homes over the past thirty years, and have always been treated extremely well. People go out of their way to please us. They often will go into debt to give us a meal with meat, something they may have only once a year themselves. Nothing I’ve said has ever been able to get them to not do this! One of the best examples of over-the-top hospitality happened in Ukraine.

I went to Ukraine in 1993 with a small group of seminary students and professors. This was shortly after the country had opened up and received westerners. We preached in open areas, coordinating with whatever church leaders were still left over from the purge of Christianity.

My friend and I were housed in an apartment with an old widow. Our interpreter dropped us off, said good-bye, and told us to be ready at 8:00 in the morning. The lady was incredibly gracious in trying to meet our needs; however, she spoke no English, and we spoke no Ukrainian. After years of misery, she was ecstatic to host us and moved out of her bedroom so we could have it. I think she slept on the couch in the front room.

We communicated with grunts, pointing, facial expressions, and hand gestures. One evening she tried to tell us a story. She gesticulated with her entire body trying to get across the severity of what she was saying. My friend and I couldn’t understand a word. We made guesses to ourselves that she either had given birth to something enormous or had been tortured by the communists. After about twenty minutes of wild flailing about, a light went on in her mind, and she disappeared into the next room, returning with a rolled-up handkerchief. She unwrapped it, and lying in her hand was a black, fuzzy object about the size of a walnut. I immediately recognized it as a gallstone. One of my best friends is a surgeon and he keeps one encased in Lucite on his desk. We were now able to understand that she had had her gallbladder out, and it had taken her three months to recover from the operation. She was clearly proud of her accomplishment in not only making it through the operation, but also being able to communicate the story to us with the help of her visual aid.

Hand signals worked for most things, but they couldn’t handle the delicate area of food. In the beginning, she served food that was normal – bread, cheese, eggs, chicken, rice, and vegetables. The problem was that she cooked enough for fifteen people.

After putting it on the table, she then stood patiently in the corner watching us to make sure we ate every bite. My friend and I ate as much as we could and expressed our pleasure in what she served by rubbing our stomachs, smiling, and nodding our heads. She politely responded and smiled, but seemed not to be able to comprehend that we weren’t able to eat more and kept saying, Tse ne duzhe dobre? over and over again, meaning, It’s not good? or, Don’t you like it?

Each evening, we ate as much as we could and then had to stop. Due to her inflated sense of the size of our appetites, she began to experiment with different foods, trying to find one that she thought we liked. Each successive evening, the simple fare of bread, cheese, and rice gave way to bizarre vegetables, fish, and greens.

At night, we looked at the food and did our best to eat it. As the food became stranger,

Reviews for Soaring Higher

[Betty Bennett · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a book of stories from the lives of people groups who are touched by the ministry that started with one man who dared to say “I can’t help them all, but I can help this one”. Pray God that more of us will have the courage to ask that God empower us to do likewise.