BEYOND WORDS
ABOUT THE BOOK
Paul Banwell Means has an aim. He wants to go overseas as an educator and a missionary. Blessed with a wife Nathalie who shares his vision, Paul heads to the Far East to take up the position of the Principal of the Methodist Boys’ School in Medan, Sumatra. On a trip into the jungles of North Sumatra, Paul meets the Bataks, and it is there that Paul’s understanding of Christian mission is shaped.
Paul and Nathalie Means “came to bear witness to the Light, the Light that shines in the Malayan jungles and in Indian villages,” where they served as missionaries, linguists, translators, and literacy specialists. Theirs are two impressive lives which deserve to be remembered in the history of our 21st-century world.
This biography of Paul and Nathalie Means is well woven around the many letters which dramatically bring to life their unrelenting work to make Kunci Pelajaran (the keys to reading) a reality. Share their struggles and their triumphs. Read about how Paul on his deathbed was still planning their next mission to Malaysia, and how Nathalie fulfils her promise to him.
CONTENTS
- Laying the Foundations (1923-1928)
- Singapore and Beyond (1929-1939)
- Questions of Conscience: New York and Germany (1932-1934)
- A Return to Singapore and the “Orang Asli” Mission (1934-1939)
- New Bases During the War (1939-1949)
- “Kunci Pelajaran” — The Keys to Reading (1949-1951)
- India — by Jeep and Ox Cart (1954-1956)
- Southeast Asia and India Revisited (1957-1964)
- Worlds New — and Old (1965-1970)
- Familiar Patterns, New Seeds (1970-1973)
- Compassion and Scholarship (1973-1975)
- The Beginning of the End (1975-1980)
- The Promise (1980-1999)
Beyond Words is available in February 2009!
Sample pages of this book are attached for your perusal.
ABOUT THE EDITOR
Laurel Means has a Ph.D. in English and Linguistics from the University of Toronto, Canada. She is Adjunct Professor at a local college, where she teaches Christian Literature, Linguistics, Writing, and Mass Media. She also serves as a worship leader and liturgist at Discovery United Methodist Church, Chanhassen, Minnesota. She has written award-winning fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults, as well as devotional material. She was a research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies working on Southeast Asian post-colonial literature in 1988-1989, 1993, and 1996.
Laurel currently resides in Chaska, Minnesota, with her husband, Dr. Gordon Paul Means, the eldest child of Paul and Nathalie Means. Gordon Means is a well-known scholar of Southeast Asian, especially Malaysian, politics, with many publications in the field. His forthcoming book (Lynn Reiner Press, March 2009) analyzes political Islam in Southeast Asia.
Praise for Beyond Words
“This fascinating book opens a window for us to understand the choices missionaries make, drawn by faith conviction and an enduring perseverance to make a difference in communities that Paul and Nathalie Means found themselves in.”
Rev. Dr. Hermen Shastri
General Secretary, Council of Churches of Malaysia
“This book tells the heart-warming story of two remarkable American Methodist missionaries whose lives deeply blessed individuals, families and whole communities in many parts of Asia, and especially in Southeast Asia. Paul and Natalie Means spent a lifetime letting God use their godly passion and varied skills, particularly their linguistic skills, for the transformation of people and societies through an extensive ministry of teaching, especially among several indigenous peoples.”
Bishop Dr. Robert M. Solomon
Bishop, The Methodist Church in Singapore
“TRAC thanks the Lord for the lives of His faithful servants, Paul and Natalie Means, courageous pioneers who ended their ministry for the Kingdom of God with excellence. They have left an indelible mark and legacy in the Malaysian Church through their groundbreaking ministry of the Word among our Sengoi brethren, captured in this heart-warming account.”
Rev. Ong Hwai Teik
President, Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC)
The Methodist Church in Malaysia
“The commitment of Paul and Nathalie to their faith, their love for the peoples, their skills in language, and their unending and tireless efforts in translating the scriptures in the indigenous languages is vividly expressed by the editor. This book is a must for those who know that history can be relived even as they move from the comforts of a Western home to the challenges of foreign cultures.”
Rev. Lionel Muthiah
United Methodist Minister, Dakotas Conference, USA
HOW TO ORDER
Beyond Words retails at S$25.00 for paperback. You may order via email or the attached ORDER FORM. Please email jenny@armourpublishing.com or call 65-6276-9976 [Ext 212] for bulk purchase and enquiries.
