How the GLEAM Ministry Began

Dr. and Mrs. James Garlow were missionaries in Northeast India for 42 years. In 1981, seeking to reduce the number of foreign missionaries, the government of India refused to renew the Garlows' residential permit, and thus forced the Garlows to leave India in January of 1982.

Knowing of the crucial need for good Christian literature in India, they began to recycle Christian Sunday School materials and send them there. Along with the Sunday School materials, they sent Bibles, commentaries, Bible dictionaries, and the like. This ministry was begun in their garage with the help of local Christians.

In 1991, the Lord provided $19,000 through special building offerings. The offering purchased materials to construct the GLEAM building on the property of Maranatha Baptist Church. Members of Maranatha, where the Garlows attended, and a Men for Missions group from First Baptist Church of Butler, PA, donated the labor. Maranatha, in cooperation with Baptist Mid-Missions, began to gradually take over the ministry from the Garlows who retired to Seattle, Washington in May of 1992.  Maranatha Baptist Church volunteers now conduct the ministry.

The Lord blessed this effort. Because of the widespread usage of English, we currently are shipping Christian literature to recipients in India, Myanmar, Thailand, Philippines, Kenya and Ghana; and the number continues to grow.

We help Bible schools, colleges, and Christian schools receive reference and textbooks for their libraries. Pastors also receive books for their study libraries. We supply Bibles, Sunday School lessons and VBS materials to many churches that cannot get the material on their own.  Through the years GLEAM has supported hundreds of national pastors to reach thousands with the Gospel.

While most of the literature received is donated freely,  GLEAM must pay the cost to ship the material using money received from financial donors. Prior to COVID this cost was about $3.99 a pound. Now that cost is significantly higher as explained on the SHIPPING COST page. 

Since all GLEAM workers are volunteers, the only costs involved are for shipping and supplies; Maranatha pays for the maintenance of the GLEAM building.  GLEAM is a faith ministry, relying on the Lord to move His people to meet the urgent needs of our East Asian brethren.