Heidi Baker: Bringing God's love to the poor and forgotten of the world

In 1980, a pair of newly-married Americans, Heidi and Rolland Baker, decided work together as missionaries for Christ and founded Iris Global (previously Iris Ministries). Their mission is to assist and evangelize the poorest and forgotten, particularly in developing countries. After spending some fifteen years in Asia, they settled in Mozambique, in a context of extreme poverty and violence, and founded an orphanage. For more than 30 years, divine grace has blessed and accompanied their work of compassion and mercy, as evidenced through multiple physical healings, countless conversions and many other striking miracles.

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Reasons to believe:

The missionary work of Heidi and Rolland Baker has led to the establishment of thousands of Christian communities throughout the world.

Their work has produced hundreds of thousands of conversions.

Numerous testimonies of physical healings and resurrections are reported by people who came into contact with the Baker couple.

Their commitment is total and spans several decades.

The Bakers are not profitting from those miracles and conversions.

Many stories and testimonies are documented and filmed.

Summary:

After becoming a Christian at the age of 16, Heidi had a vision lasting several hours during which the Lord explained to her that she would be a missionary in Africa, Asia and England. A few years later, she met Rolland. Discovering that they had the same calling, Heidi and Rolland decided to get married and founded the IRIS ministry in 1980.

Rolland and Heidi first spent 12 years in Asia. During this time, they preached the Gospel in the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia and Hong Kong. However, they were deeply convinced that the Lord wanted to take their ministry in a different direction. They have great compassion for the poor and oppressed, and feel called to work among them.

In 1992, while studying for a doctorate in theology at King's College London, they opened a church for the homeless, drug addicts and alcoholics living on the streets of London.

In 1995, they arrived in Mozambique, one of the poorest countries in the world. The government entrusted them with a run-down orphanage, without any promise of support. They accepted this mission in faith and began working with 80 children. They were well aware, however, that this was only a drop in the ocean, and they suffered to see all the other children abandoned on the streets. After several years of civil war, thousands of children have been orphaned or abandoned. Forced to live from day to day, Heidi and Rolland Baker saw the Lord show his faithfulness to them by allowing them to feed all the children entrusted to their care. The number of children grew from 80 to 320. Alongside this work, they started a local church.

Malicious people lodged complaints with the authorities to prevent them from continuing this ministry. Some even planned to kill Heidi. They were forced to leave the orphanage and take refuge in offices in the town centre. However, the children from the centre wanted to join them. Desperate, having lost everything and not knowing where to go or how to feed all these children, the couple cried out to God. That's when a friend, Nelda Lawrence, who works at the US embassy, came to their aid by giving them some rice and chili. Although quantities were limited, they miraculously managed to feed everyone, including themselves.

Two other missions, informed of their situation, offered them accommodation in unoccupied buildings for a period of three months. At the end of this period, after interceding for the children, they found a plot of land and tents on which to settle. They continued to pray and obtained a well with drinking water. On more than one occasion, the missionary couple, completely exhausted, were ready to give up, but during these trials, God always showed his faithfulness.

When Heidi wanted to attend a conference in the United States, circumstances seemed to conspire against her to prevent the trip. Not only did she face financial difficulties, but two doctors diagnosed her with pneumonia. Despite this, Heidi went to the conference all the same, and God allowed her lungs to clear so that she could breathe properly. Her strength was renewed, but the pain persisted. One night, as the pain took hold and she groaned, she saw thousands of children joining the ministry. Frightened, she began to cry out to the Lord, telling him that there were too many of them. The Lord replied: "Look into my eyes. Give them something to eat." She then saw Jesus take part of her bruised body and transform it into bread so that she could give it to the children. Then Jesus said to her: "Look into my eyes. Give them something to drink." The Lord then gave her a cup filled with his blood and the water that had flowed from his side, so that she could give it to the children. She understood in her heart that God would always provide for them and that she should trust him. She returned to Mozambique strengthened in her faith.

Within a few years, hundreds, then thousands of churches were planted. Hundreds of thousands of people of different spiritual backgrounds converted, despite opposition from religious leaders, sorcerers and Marxist politicians. According to the collected testimonies, many miracles are taking place, including healings of the deaf and blind, and even resurrections, leading to the conversion of families and even entire villages.

Since 2017, the Ministry has continued to grow, but new challenges are emerging. Terrorist groups affiliated to the Islamic State are wreaking havoc in the region. Believing in Jesus is dangerous, and anyone who opposes these groups risks having their home burnt down and their crops destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people are forced to flee. Despite all these dangers, Heidi and Rolland have stayed on and are helping the people they meet, providing them with food and praying for them. Their secret is to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, so as not to be afraid and to receive the courage they need to carry out their mission. This trust in God does not prevent caution, and Heidi explains that she has asked the people working with her to be wise in the face of danger and to take the necessary precautions.

In the midst of darkness, the light of the Gospel continues to shine, and God acts. According to her testimony, Heidi was able to preach the word of God in a large part of the region, and thousands of people accepted Jesus. In particular, she mentions many stories of people who have escaped from the jihadists. One example is the story of Feli Zardo, who was crucified and then burnt, but miraculously survived. Believing him to be dead, his executioners took him down from the cross. But despite the physical scars, he survived and now works for the IRIS Ministry.

Heidi Baker is convinced that the couple were sent to Mozambique to radically demonstrate God's love in the heart of this darkness.

David Vincent, doctoral student in History of Religions and Religious Anthropology at the Université PSL's École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPDHE), Paris, France

Beyond reasons to believe:

Heidi Baker’s personality, deeply shaped by her extraordinary life of devotion to God, is both touching and inspiring. She is reminiscent of Mother Teresa, whom she admired and considered a model of faith.

Going further:

The (pay-per-view) documentary "Finger of God" from 1:06.

More information:

There Is Always Enough, with Rolland Baker. Chosen Books (2003)
The Hungry Always Get Fed: A Year of Miracles with Rolland Baker. New Wine Press (2007)
Expecting Miracles: True Stories of God's Supernatural Power and How You Can Experience It, with Rolland Baker. Chosen Books (2007)
Compelled by Love, with Shara Pradhan. Charisma House (2008)
Learning to Love: Passion, Compassion and the Essence of the Gospel with Rolland Baker. Chosen Books (2013)
Birthing the Miraculous: The Power of Personal Encounters with God to Change Your Life and the World. Charisma House (2014)
Video: Interview of Heidi Baker