International (MNN/WHU) — Karl Eastlack with World
Hope International is now serving as the ministry's new Chief
Executive Officer, the second since its founding.
His predecessor, Dr. Jo Anne
Lyon, founded World Hope International in 1996. From humble beginnings in a
bedroom of her home, Dr. Lyon guided the organization to its present operations
in 25 countries around the world.
With her election as General
Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church, Dr. Lyon resigned as CEO in September
2008. Mr. Steve Brown, a long-time Director and Partner in the mission of WHI,
served as Interim CEO until Dr. Eastlack's appointment.
Dr. Eastlack brings a wealth of
leadership experience from his 22-year tenure as pastor of Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church,
Trustees of Houghton College, and prior service on the Board of World Hope
International (WHI).
Site visits to WHI's work in
Azerbaijan, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Honduras have also given Dr.
Eastlack a deep appreciation and respect for the organization's work around the
world. As Pastor of Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church in Williamsville, New York, he has helped to spearhead
very substantial congregational engagement with WHI's work in Zambia and
Mozambique.
Eastlack says his job is
to encourage people to put feet to their faith. "People think, 'Well, why don't we just preach the Gospel and get
them to heaven?' You have to do that and World Hope understands that and
thoroughly enjoys sharing the love of Christ verbally. But there's nothing
quite like giving a cup of cold water and honoring the command of the Lord. 'When you've done it to the least, you've done it unto Me.'"
More than that, it's about
kingdom building through social justice. "Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision: you're just whiling away the time. But when you
put the two together, that's when you change the world–when you have a sense of what can be done and a sense of
what you can do about it. One of the great challenges is to be able to find the
'connect' between the two in the lives of people."
WHI looks forward to continuing its Christ-centered, sustainable work around the globe in years to come. They are currently active in 25 countries. World Hope has a staff of 31 working at the headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, and employs over 350 staff around the world.
WHI implements its global efforts primarily through national leadership and staff in each of the places where it works.
