Stella Bokare is a history maker in her own right; she is the first graduate of the Asia-Graduate School of Theology and Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary’s Doctor of Philosophy in Holistic Child Development in 2016. Stella’s connection to APNTS began in 2009 when Girish, her husband, took the Master of Divinity Program. The couple, along with their children, Abishai and Ishanah, called APNTS home for three years. They always describe their stay on campus as their most wonderful time, learning from other cultures and building lasting bonds of friendship.
At present, Girish serves as the Pastor of English Free Methodist Church in Mumbai. Abishai and Ishanah are pursuing their studies, and Stella is serving as an assistant pastor and as the South Asia Regional Coordinator of International Child Care Ministries (ICCM), also under the Free Methodist Church. ICCM is a child sponsorship initiative working with Free Methodist Churches across the world in 30 countries. Stella states, “Among the seven Regional Coordinators, I am positioned as the South Asia Regional Coordinator overseeing India, Nepal and Bangladesh.”
Stella takes pride in her Wesleyan roots, both from her church and APNTS, and she upholds the virtue of holiness that is fully loving God and loving people. Particularly, Stella hears the heart of God beats loudest for the children, and this is the area where she feels beckoned by the Spirit to minister. Her current position at ICCM allows her the platform to respond to God’s call in her life. Stella shares, “Working with ICCM gives me the privilege of working with the underprivileged children and families in Bangladesh, Nepal and India. ICCM runs residential care for marginalized children, day care centers, study centers and ministry to the families with HIV.” Looking retrospectively, God made Stella ready to be where she exactly is today and enabled her to embrace the people she now serves. Her research study at the doctorate level was focused on the impacts of social stigma on children infected and affected with HIV. “I would like to point out to the fact that the Lord had initiated my PhD studies in 2012 as a preparation for the kind of role I play now in International Child Care Ministries,” Stella recalls.
Nevertheless, things are not always smooth in Stella’s ministry, and some of the difficult challenges come from within her own culture. Stella relates, “My work mostly and frequently involves networking with male figures, so I am very sensitive with my leadership style. The cultural norms can be sometimes challenging;, however, the Lord helps me handle each situation which I have found hard to resolve.” Stella knows that the agenda of God for ICCM holds more weight than the cultural norms, and that the vision of the Lord for the children they serve is stronger and more powerful than any societal stigma. She is not only running towards God’s goal, but she invites and rallies others to join her in the race. “I inspire women for their great ministry as prayer warriors and I help them build the capacity to have a vision for our community,” Stella affirms.
Stella is indeed breaking grounds – she is one of the few Indian women leaders in the church and she brings to the light of day the issues that others would rather stay mum about. God is giving her the voice to speak up and the agency to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children, both of these she is using mightily. Yet at the end of the day, Stella acknowledges that her strength comes first from God and second from Girish, their children, and her team, “I am praising God for my ever-supportive husband and children, and for my efficient co-workers in ICCM.”
Let us uphold Stella and her team in ICCM as they continue to follow God’s lead in their advocacy for children. Also, Stella asks for intercession for her husband and children as they continue to serve God in the South Asia region.
