Pastor Walton spoke with James and Jeslyn Harry during our missions conference. They spoke about coming to Christ, college at HBBC, and life in ministry.
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Chris Harper: Welcome to Harvest Time. My name is Chris Harper, and our host on this program is Pastor Gary Walton, the lead pastor of Harvest Baptist Church. Every week, we spend these twenty five minutes together telling you the stories of our church by interviewing our members and other friends of the ministry. We’d like to invite you to join us on Sunday at Harvest Baptist Church. We have two services, the first at 08:45AM, the second at 10:45AM.
There’s Japanese and Korean translation available during that second service, and that’s also when we livestream @hbcguam.org. hbcguam.org. This week, we’ll be back in our series, love is, from first Corinthians thirteen one through eight. Let’s begin today’s Harvest Time by welcoming pastor Gary Walton. Hi, pastor.
Gary Walton: Hey. Hafa adai, Chris. This week, we are coming back to a series that we began. In the beginning of the year, we started walking through a really powerful text in first Corinthians 13 that talks about what the real definition of biblical love is. It’s not just talking about, romantic love or relationship marriage kind of love, but it’s really talking about the relationships of believers within the church to each other, and, the title is Love Is.
And we’ve just been going one by one through, that first Corinthians 13 passage talking about these characteristics of love. Actually, before we’re done, we’re gonna back up and and see how all that fits together in the context of chapters twelve, thirteen, and 14 in the discussion of spiritual gifts. So I hope that you’ll hang in with us through this whole series. But this Sunday, when we come back, we’re gonna be talking about, love is not rude, and love is not selfish. Surprisingly, those two, words or those two characteristics are very clearly linked together.
Rude is not in the sense of is not polite. That might be the natural way that we’d see that, but it’s really talking about not self absorbed. And, of course, that does fit in with selfishness, a critical piece of what genuine love looks like. So we are looking forward to studying that together. I hope that you’ll join us.
I think it’ll be a help to you. I’m really glad to have James and Jeslyn Harry with us here in studio for Harvest Time. Welcome, James and Jeslyn.
Jeslyn Harry: Oh, thank you.
James Harry: Thank you, Pastor.
Gary Walton: So glad that you’re with us. James and Jeslyn are here currently right now for our Harvest Baptist Church Missions Conference, For the Cause of Christ is what we’re calling it, and then also staying together for our Freshwater Conference, which, is a special time of, spiritual emphasis for our college students at Harvest Baptist Bible College. And, they’ve come from Pohnpei to be part of both of those special times for our church family. And, while they’re here, we wanted to make sure that we had a chance to talk with them on the radio.
Then we were recording this, of course, we’ll play it a few weeks from now, but, glad to be able to get a chance to hear a little bit more of your story and what God is doing with you and and for you. Pastor James is an assistant pastor at, Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Pohnpei. Also teach in the school, right, in public school? Yes. Okay.
And then, Jeslyn, do you work at the Christian school, like Calvary Christian Academy?
Jeslyn Harry: Yes, sir.
Gary Walton: Okay. Tell us about, your family. First of all, let me ask you that, Jeslyn. You have children. What are their ages?
What’s their names?
Jeslyn Harry: I have one daughter and two boys twins.
Gary Walton: Okay.
Jeslyn Harry: The twins, their birthday today. Really?
Gary Walton: Yeah. Well, happy birthday to your boys. What’s their names?
Jeslyn Harry: Joshua and Josiah.
Gary Walton: Okay. Well, later on when they hear this, we’re gonna give them a shout out for a happy birthday to your boys right on the radio. How about that?
Jeslyn Harry: Oh, thank you. And my daughter, 16 years old.
Gary Walton: Okay. Great. If I remember right, I think I heard that your children were all born here in Guam while you were here. Is that right?
Jeslyn Harry: Yes.
Gary Walton: Okay. A few years ago. Pastor James, you grew up on Pohnpei. Right? Yes.
Tell us about that. What was Pohnpei like when you were growing up?
James Harry: Well, in Pohnpei, I that’s long time ago. Yeah. We grew up playing with marbles and we don’t have cell phones and stuff like that. It’s been a blessing that growing up in Point Bay, knowing that I go to the right church that preached the gospel. But later on, when I was around 12 years, thirteen years, I realized that going to church, my parents are in the church, involved in the church, I realized that that cannot take me to heaven.
So I received Jesus Christ in my heart by asking Him to come into my heart. When I listened to Pastor Isamo Welles preach, and that I cannot really remember that date, but I remember when I asked Jesus Christ into my heart, I get the joy that I cannot explain. So I believe, and I believe after that, I believe that if I die, I’ll go straight to heaven. So, I grew up there in Point Bay.
Gary Walton: James, were your parents Christians, genuine believers?
James Harry: Yes. Okay. Yeah.
Gary Walton: And I know Pastor Willis was pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, right?
Is that right? Did your family attend there?
James Harry: We, they had been there a few years, then moved down to Palager with pastor, Sonny Paddock.
Gary Walton: Okay.
James Harry: They started there.
Gary Walton: Okay.
James Harry: Continue.
Gary Walton: Yeah. So you said you’re 12 years old?
James Harry: Yeah. Around 12, 13, I, yeah, received Jesus Christ in my heart.
Gary Walton: You talked a little bit about the idea that you had confidence then of your eternal life, that you’d be with God in heaven. Were there any other changes that you felt happened, you know, at that time after you professed your faith?
James Harry: Yeah. I started I went to high school.
Gary Walton: Okay.
James Harry: And then, well, teenage being a teenage in high school and getting all those lives around me, then later on, it felt in my heart that I need to. I’m thinking I need to receive Jesus Christ in my heart again because those sins and doubts. But that’s when I see my brother came back from Harvest. After that, it really makes me want to change. I know I already received Jesus Christ, but I want to go come to Harvest where my brother is in so I can have the heart to change the environment because it’s very important we’re safe and we’re surrounded with Christians that will support you and help you through.
Well, we’ve often said that I want to talk about HBBC or HBBI for you guys in a minute.
Gary Walton: I want to ask you about your time here. But one of the things that we know is that, you know, a place like Harvest in the Bible College can be like a greenhouse where, there’s a lot of protection from many of the things that would hurt small young plants, and you have a chance to grow strong. Now we can’t live forever in the greenhouse. You know, God wants to plant us out and use us. But, yeah, it’s pretty neat to think about the place where sort of protection for you, you know, the culture would be optimal so that that plant could grow healthy.
You felt like that’s what happened with you?
James Harry: Yes. Yeah. Praise the Lord that Harvest is a place to learn and to grow.
Gary Walton: Amen. Jeslyn, you grew up in Chuuk, is that right? Is that a main island?
Jeslyn Harry: On the Outer island.
Gary Walton: Outer island.
Jeslyn Harry: Close to the main.
Gary Walton: Okay.
Jeslyn Harry: Yeah.
Gary Walton: Tell me about life growing up in the outer island.
Jeslyn Harry: Growing up, I grew up in Christian home, and we go to Brothers Church, and I thought I’d be a good girl memorizing first, because they’re giving out first to their kids to memorize it. And my daddy preached, so I thought I’m Okay, I can go to heaven. And when I came here, my second year, there is a revival here. The missionary, Tom Farrell, is the one preaching that week. So, I memorized the first study shared that night, John 3:16.
But before, I don’t know what that means. So, when he explained it, it’s really touching me. I said, Who am I? Who am I that his son is going to die for my sin?
Gary Walton: Yes
Jeslyn Harry: So, I just stand up where I sit and I walk down and I just cry. It’s like, I just cry and ask God to forgive me for everything that He sacrificed His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sin. So, I prayed that night and I asked Him to forgive me, to come into my heart to be my personal Lord and Savior. So, that night I got saved. I walked down and shared to my GA, Kaitrin Ezra.
She’s my GA that that year. So, that’s how I accepted Christ. But before, growing up, I thought that I’m a good girl, I can go to heaven. But I praised God that I came here and I found the truth.
Gary Walton: Amen.
Jeslyn Harry: Yeah. So, praise the Lord.
Gary Walton: Yeah. Praise the Lord. HBBI, I think when you were here, was important in both of your lives. Right? What what was your time here like?
James Harry: Me,
I came in both of us came in 2002. Okay. Then I graduate 2005 and went back to Pohnpei and waited there two years, came back because my missing ribs is not with me 2007, she graduated 2007. So we got married here. Okay.
After that, we stay a little bit. Then went back, back in our island, my island, Pohnpei, 2012.
Gary Walton: James, what do you remember most about let’s say when you first came to Harvest, that first year, had you ever been to Guam or off Pohnpei before?
James Harry: No. That’s First time? First time.
Gary Walton: Okay. So what did you think when all of a sudden you showed up on Guam and on this campus?
James Harry: Can I explain when the we’re landing arriving Guam? I see all the lights that I say, what? They still in Christmas? I see all the lights. I in Pohnpei, only plenty lights are only on Christmas.
But then I see this, and I say, wow. It’s gonna be a challenging and new life, new experience. And then come to Harvest and everything is new and try to fit in. Even in the dorms, air con. I think I still remember the first month I got sick Being
Gary Walton: too cold.
James Harry: Too cold. And one thing, it’s funny because in our islands, we only put we put meat in the freezer and all those stuff. I say, staying in the aircon for one month, I say, man, I need to get out. I need to probably sleep outside.
Gary Walton: You felt like you were getting frozen,
James Harry: like, yeah. Frozen every night. So praise the Lord that I used to it. I get used to it, adjust and and by surrounding with Christian men and women in the church and at work, it’s been a blessing to me.
Gary Walton: Then our students, you know, take classes. So you would have started taking classes, you get a job working here on campus, all those things together. Were the classes hard for you when you began?
James Harry: When I started my first year, because they tried to put down all the classes, the level is very easy, I say. Well, I graduated from high school. I came in the language, the language arts, the way they put down the sentence is like, I say, why it’s so easy? I thought it’s gonna be hard. But I know because I cannot know language.
Sure. Language art. So it’s, for me, it’s easy. I say, why it’s art, why it’s not harder? Yeah.
Then, but I see some of the, yeah, islanders came in, they don’t have the knowledge of all those things. I say, okay.
Gary Walton: The foundation of your education is significant.
James Harry: Yes.
But it’s challenging, yeah. And school for me is good, but in spiritual, I really appreciate because that’s where I really want to change and I need this.
Gary Walton: That’s great. Jeslyn, what about you? What was your time at HBBI like?
Jeslyn Harry: When I first came here, it’s kind of hard because I don’t really speak English. So, I’m ashamed if the teachers are talking to me. So, if they walk, I will try to hide. So we came to, they pick us up and we came to the dorm and they welcome us and they introduce. And I worked in the cafeteria first year.
I just want to give up. I said, I don’t do this. And now I’m here washing this thin, big, heavy thing. So I just said, Okay, I’m going to go back. And my GA Kathrine, She said, Jeslyn, just try.
Just try. You can do it. And I said, Good, this place is a really big blessing to my life, everything I learned from here. That’s why he graduated in 2005. I graduated in 2007, because I stayed back to learn more.
Gary Walton: Wow, that’s great. That’s not an unusual story. Students come the first year, especially those that the language is hard. You just feel so feel so difficult. And then, yeah, you get a job, know, you’re washing dishes or anything like that, and it can be challenging.
I’m glad you stayed. And Yeah. You guys both finished your education, your preparation to be able to serve God. And so you’ve been serving yeah. You actually, James, you stayed both together and and kinda helped with the college for a few years, right?
And then back to Pohnpei in 2012, right? Is that what you said? Yeah. Okay. And tell me about how things are in Pohnpei right now.
James Harry: When we moved back, everybody is excited and coming to church. It’s been a blessing there. And then trials and temptation and all those things, people start moving out, Not only because they get tired, but they’re looking for ways to support their families, so they move back to States or they went out. So our church getting fewer and fewer every year. But it’s challenging to remind myself and helping my wife because she’s not from Pohnpei.
For her, I can see that it’s very hard because she tried to learn the language. For me, it’s good because those are my people and I know what they’re thinking. Seeing them leaving, it’s also hard for me because I thought we’d go back and help them and help them understand and to stay and help out in the ministry. So, it’s challenging every year and try to stay faithful.
Gary Walton: It’s a big deal. I know in all the islands, all the Micronesian Islands, so much of the population is heading to The States over the last few years, and I know that can be a challenge in everything. But, you know, specifically in the Church. So thank you guys for being faithful and being continuing to be the leadership. Our prayers that the gospel would grow, many, many more people would be reached.
And so we’re thankful for your for your faithfulness faithfulness there. You have served the church for many years. What are your burdens for the next generation of pastors and churches on Pohnpei? James, let me ask you that, and, Jeslyn, maybe I’ll see what you think after that.
James Harry: In youth, I try to encourage the boys and all the girls also to really go into the Bible, go into His Word. Because if we’re not in His Word and praying, then sometimes we’ll think that it’s God’s will for me to go there. But then you don’t know God’s will for you because you don’t read in God’s words. For me, them and reminding them to always go into the Word of God, so they can know God’s will for them and prepare them. So that’s what I try to encourage the youth and the people in the church to always look for God’s will in His Word.
Gary Walton: Yeah, that’s good. Jeslyn, anything to add to that?
Jeslyn Harry: For me, my burden for the people, to have the willing heart to step in and also involve in the ministry that’s in there.
Gary Walton: Yes.
Jeslyn Harry: Yeah, that’s my burden.
Gary Walton: We’ll pray with you about that, that your examples would be such that others would follow in serving God in his church. Maybe one last question. When you look back on your life, either here at Harvest or or when you’re growing up or after that, who in your life has had an influence as far as changing you spiritually? Is there anybody that invested in your life at such a level that your life has, you know, has been changed because of their discipleship, their investment? And if you can think of somebody, then what’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about them?
James Harry: Faithfulness. I see Pastor, Sonny Paddock. I remember we started in somebody’s house. I was very small. Ever since there, we have service there until we moved to a new building.
And I see him and the wife, they go through health issues and all those stuff. But one thing that really encouraged me, every time we will have something coming up, events, and the church will come together to have meetings if we’re going to cancel the church. We’ll cancel our church activity or service so we can join the other ministry. What pastor sometimes I would say, Why don’t we cancel it and we can join them? But by looking at his example, he says, No, let’s do this.
Let’s have our service first, and then we go join them. One thing really touched my heart. We have a funeral neighbor next to our church. And all those Pohnpeians, they come together with all those ready. And I asked pastor, Are we canceling our church to go join their service?
And he said, no, let’s do our church. So everybody’s crying or around their funeral next to our church. And here we are singing and praising God. After that, then he said, Now we can go. For me, it’s really an encouragement seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you.
See faithfulness, I see he has been going through health issues and getting sick. One time we are in service. I know he’s sick. Then before he started to, he’s gonna end my program to give it to him. I see him sitting there, start shaking.
And he already got sick, something like seizure. But he’s willing to stand and preach that day. So I see that, I see faithful man. I want to be strong just like that, even though trials and health issues, but you stay faithful.
Gary Walton: That’s a good example. Yeah, we’re thankful for Pastor Paddock. He’s a faithful man for many years. Jeslyn, what about you? Anybody that you can think of that was a good influence?
Jeslyn Harry: Since I’m in Pohnpei, Mrs. Paddock is really helpful to me. I always go to her. I get discouraged or something coming up in family, I always go to her and we pray together. She advised me, Give me first to read.
So, looking at Mrs. Paddock, she’s a very wise lady.
Gary Walton: She is.
Jeslyn Harry: Yeah. So I’m just thankful that I’m there. I’m not with my real mom, but she’s there that she can advise me with good things.
Gary Walton: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it’s so good to have mentors, influences in our life, and we’re thankful for the two of you being willing to be the same for the next generation. Praying that God will bless you in in your ministry as you serve him there. And we’re thankful that you’ve been able to be here at Harvest.
I hope our service together is our conference together has been encouragement to you. And I know that you’re gonna be an encouragement to us and to our student body. So thank you for joining us. Thank you. Thank you.
Chris Harper: And thank you for joining us for today’s Harvest Time. Of course, at this point in the program, we always wanna invite you to services at Harvest Baptist Church. Two services, Sunday, 08:45AM, 10:45AM. We have Japanese and Korean translation during the 10:45AM service, and that’s also when we bring you the service live at 10:45 here on 88.1FM and khmg.org. We hope to see you this Sunday.
Thanks again for listening to Harvest Time.