HARRISONBURG, Va.—Tears welled in the aged eyes of Paul Kniss as he told the childhood story.
Younger siblings, Esther Kniss Augsburger and Dr. Mark Kniss, sat silently as Paul recalled one of the many moments that shaped their lives (including youngest brother, David Kniss, who lives in Florida). They grew up in India in the 1930s and 1940s as children of mission workers from Mennonite Board of Missions, a predecessor agency of Mennonite Mission Network.
Esther, who was also born in India, became a renowned artist whose sculptures are highly influenced by Indian culture. She formed Christian artist conventions in Eastern Europe and Asia and continues in that work. She traveled to India several times with her husband, former Eastern Mennonite University President Myron Augsburger (1965-1980), as an author, educator and speaker. Esther and Myron attend Park View Mennonite Church.
From Esther’s living room in Harrisonburg, Paul’s voice transported us to a tent meeting in rural India, where, as boys, he and Mark lay sleeping beside their father, Lloy Kniss. In a nearby tent, Esther and David slept beside their mother, Elizabeth Kniss.
“I woke up hearing my father crying,” said Paul, who was about 8 then. “I said, ‘What’s wrong, Papa?’”
“’It’s all right, Paul. Go back to sleep. I was just praying for Gangu,’” he said.
Gangu was a man in the village who had suffered social consequences for choosing to follow Christ.
Esther broke the silence in the living room:
“We saw that many, many times—our parents’ love for the people and totally giving of themselves to the people. Even when my father was 40 miles away, Mama would answer calls to come to the villages. So many times I’d see her on her knees praying.”
Esther was 12 when the family returned to the United States.
Mark, who was born in India, returned as a doctor, helping to establish Nav Jivan (New Life) Hospital in Tumbagara in the Palamu District of Jharkhand. He served there more than 13 years with his wife, Betty, who was the hospital’s first nurse. They are retired and living in Harrisonburg where they attend Ridgeway Mennonite Church.
Lloy Anson and Edna Elizabeth Kniss served in India from 1926 to 1942 in church ministry, evangelism and medical work for villagers suffering from diseases such as malaria. Lloy died in 1979 and Elizabeth in 1998. Paul’s story illustrated why the Kniss siblings feel a strong bond and love for India, where they lived before returning to the United States for middle school and high school. Those early years shaped their adult ministries.
Paul became an evangelist, returning to India with his late wife, Esther Mast, and serving there more than 43 years under the then Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities.
Mark, who, like his sister, Esther, was born there, returned as a doctor, helping to establish Nav Jivan (New Life) Hospital in Tumbagara in the Palamu District of Jharkhand, where he served more than 13 years. His wife, Betty, was its first nurse.
David, who lives in Florida, became a church planter throughout the southern United States.
Paul became an evangelist, returning to India with his late wife, Esther Mast, and serving more than 43 years under the then Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities. In addition to preaching, Paul and Esther established a creative bookstore, radio and multi-media ministry in Ranchi, Jharkhand. He is retired, but still active with Mennonite Christian Service Fellowship of India churches. He lives in Harrisonburg with his second wife, Naomi. They attend Ridgeway Mennonite Church.
Esther became a renowned artist whose sculptures are highly influenced by Indian culture. She formed Christian artist conventions in Eastern Europe and Asia, traveling to India several times with her husband, former Eastern Mennonite University President Myron Augsburger, as an educator and speaker.
In late October through November, the siblings will return to India for two milestones: the 100th anniversary of the Mennonite Church in India Dhamtari Conference (Myron will be the guest speaker), and the 50th anniversary of the hospital in Jharkhand, both Oct. 28-30. Accompanied by some of Mark’s adult children, the Kniss siblings will also visit mission schools and churches.
As they discussed India, the siblings kept returning to thoughts of their parents: Like how they never felt neglected by them despite being away at boarding school for six-month stretches. And how they were encouraged by their parents to play among the Indian children as though they were extended family. This was, perhaps, “Papa’s and Mama’s” greatest gift to them.
“It was just the most wonderful thing I could think of,” Esther said. “My parents really identified with the people.”
“The family grew up with that cross-cultural identification,” Myron said.
Lloy and Elizabeth served in the United States after returning from India, spending about 35 years ministering and teaching in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
David became a church planter throughout the southern United States. He planted four churches. He served as interim and then lead pastor for more than 40 years at Bahia Vista Mennonite Church, Sarasota, Fla. He is now Minister of Visitation at Bahia Vista, where he attends with his wife, Esther.
“Papa was the first Lancaster County bishop to plant a church in the inner city, which was Baltimore, so it was only natural that I follow in his footsteps,” wrote David, who was 7 when they returned from India.
In India, Lloy, though he was not a trained physician, treated patients with the help of medical reference books, like the Merck Manual, Paul said. Elizabeth was also active in visiting village homes. Mark’s own childhood hospital experiences inspired his calling to medicine.
“I always enjoyed going out and going to the villages and talking with people, being friendly,” he said.
“The Indian people have such hospitality and friendliness that I felt they accepted me as one of them.”
Paul, like Mark, is fluent in Hindi and local dialects. He continues to maintain relationships from his home in Harrisonburg.
“I talk to India every day. It’s very encouraging for us and for them,” he said. “As long as we are able, my wife, Naomi, and I, every morning, we pray for pastors and other leaders in the church.”
Like Papa and Mama in the tents.
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Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, leads, mobilizes and equips the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Media may contact Andrew Clouse at andrewc@mmnworld.net, 574-523-3024 or 866-866-2872, ext. 23024.
