
For some people, Heidi Baker is controversial. But to me and others, she’s a hero. Along with her husband, Rolland, she has reached out to the poor in Mozambique, bringing Jesus’s hope and healing to so many widows and orphans. She has inspired me with her hunger and faithfulness. I’ve never met her, but I hope to one day.
Melissa Glasel, a World Racer from Canada, like me, drew encouragement from Heidi’s ministry. She shares the following story from her World Race.
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24 years of longing to touch down on African soil was about to be fulfilled. We were in our final debrief in Thailand and our squad leaders were announcing where we would be all heading over the next month. And then we were told, “Team Luminous you are heading to Mozambique.”
In that moment I felt every eye on me. My Squad knew that I was currently reading
Always Enough by Heidi Baker for my third time since just before launching on our race. They knew I desired so strongly to be in Mozambique and see first hand the beautiful things that God had been doing.
When we arrived to our ministry site we met Tessa Nicole, a staff member of Iris Ministries. Tessa had been Heidi’s personal assistant. She was leading a new project for Iris – restoring four homes for orphan children and their host parents. Our assignment was to help.
During the month Tessa would take the stories I’d read in
Always Enough and bring them to life for me. She would share details about how God was healing people and how they were coming to Christ and how churches were being planted. It was such a thrill for me to hear what I’d read about.
One day, she surprised us with the news that we were being sent to the base in Pemba to stay and serve with Iris. We were to arrive the day of Heidi’s birthday celebration on the beach. We were going to go to her party and celebrate!
We loaded the last big truck out. We packed into the back of this truck and drove off.
Then, as we were driving, suddenly the tail gate fell down and I was thrown from the vehicle and drug on the tailgate down the dirt road! I found myself laying in the road alone, in pain and wondering what to do.
Alone with no phone, my arm hurting, I limped my way back to where I knew the party was. It was the most scared I had every been and yet I could feel God’s presence. Somehow I knew I was going to be okay.
Heidi was still there and vehicles were being loaded. She saw me stumbling down the road toward her. I remember saying “I fell from the truck.” Heidi came to me and scooped me up in her arms and immediately prayed healing over me. I was loaded into her vehicle. At this point I realized the pain was gone in my body. I was healed!
For the next half hour, I rode with her back to the base and had time to share my story and hear more of her testimony.
In a matter of 24 hours after that conversation, our team was set up by Heidi to join a ministry team on a 10-day outreach to areas where they may have never experienced meeting a foreigner.
What I saw amazed me! The blind did see. The deaf did hear and many were set free. My faith was challenged more in 10 days then I had in 10 years! I saw real, tangible miracles and deliverance. Meeting Heidi may have been a dream come true for me, but experiencing the power of God was like living out the dream of God through her ministry. It changed my life.
Back in Canada, Melissa got married and has been raising a family. In 2025, she’s taking the faith she learned from Heidi Baker and starting World Race Canada.
Agonizingly beautiful. Thanks for faithfully sharing life-giving stories Seth.
Wondrous. A life so well lived that Jesus’ incarnation in her is made visible to all with the eyes to see.
Seth!! I truly want to hear more. Heidi Baker is someone that God used in the beginning of my desire (and throughout) to love hurting kids. She is a mother of the faith to me. To fall out of the truck and be okay is a complete miracle and then to be hand delivered and set up in a way to be a part of the miracles of Jesus is just wow- i have no eloquent words.. just tears as i read this. INCREDIBLE!
Yes. Her example has inspired me as well. Her detractors point to her style. They say she is weird. But I point to her fruit. She’s taken in hundreds of orphans. Her ministry has planted thousands of churches. Her fruit is good. And when I look at your fruit, Jenn, that’s what I see as well – good fruit. So let’s keep looking for role models like Heidi.