An Open Letter to my Husband, the Founder of Project 1615.
Theresa Berry
It's been 15 years since Baron first began his work with Project 1615. It was one giant leap of faith into the unknown which took a ton of grit to start from scratch but even more to spend the better part of the last 15 years venturing into the underground, living a life of clandestine work, completely denying yourself the ability to openly and publicly tell your story. I never really knew the true sacrifice it would require to completely lay your life aside for another, to venture off into some of the most dangerous parts of the world, in the hopes of making Jesus known to a people in Central Asia. Baron was aware when he took on his assignment and call with 1615; it was never about him. Although I am sure neither of us were fully conscious of the sacrifices we were embarking on to take the Gospel to this part of the world. Who truly ever is? But, undeterred by the costs, he has given the last 15 years of his life (literally) to this amazing organization.
I am writing this, not because he is my husband, but truthfully I respect who he is and who he has become as a person as he has endeavored to follow the heart and call of God. Being by his side at 1615 as he walked his journey, I myself have learned faith for my own life, call & path. He stretched this small town Tennessee girl to her max. He was exactly what I needed and God wanted. He has been a true servant of God that has spent the greater part of his life in some of the most dyer of circumstances and most destitute places of the world freely giving the Gospel to a people who would have otherwise never have known. Without hesitation he went into the world of the underground church, preaching, teaching, planting churches, printing books and producing the first bible of a nation of 30 million people; all while governments hunted and worked every angel to squash the underground church. I am writing this letter because I so respect and honor him, his call and the last 15 years he sacrificed to serve the purpose of God through Project 1615.
The last four years have been some of the most challenging, pain filled, exhilarating, but also self reflecting and enjoyable years of our life. I don't regret nor do I hide in shame from these years, Pain along our journey can make us, if we allow it, stronger. God used the last 4 years to mold us into the people, couple, individuals that he needed us to be in order for us to come along with Him into the next phase of His grand plan for our life. The hardness of the last 4 years has defined us, it's molded us, it's changed us in so many significant ways. It has made us who we are now and I can say I am so tremendously grateful for this season. I am grateful that the process has made us stronger. Our pain truly has become our power.
At the end of this year, we embark on a new phase of life and ministry. We will close the doors to Project 1615. What an emotional few days we've had around here, mourning the loss of an organization that has touched so many lives, even our own, in so many ways. It's God's request, and so, in typical fashion with such bold faith, Baron says "yes...o.k. I will do what you require," even though it's not been an easy choice on his part. In fact, he has been fighting this voice for the last few months telling him, "Baron you have to let the dream die."
Sixteen15 has fulfilled it's time. One of the most difficult things for a leader to recognize is that not all things are eternal, some things ordained by God have a specific life span attached. They were birthed for a specific purpose and moment in time. Sixteen15 fulfilled that purpose. It was birthed for that specific time. If we keep holding onto something that was birthed for seasons and times, we create monuments instead of living and breathing organisms that grow and change as He changes. Oh the monuments humanity has created for itself for fear of letting go...for fear of not moving forward and letting the dream die. He always has more, but we can't get to the more until we let go. I have thought so many times of the story of Abraham and Issac, where God gave him the seed he promised so long ago to only subsequently request for Abraham to give Isaac back...to sacrafice and let his dream die that he believed in, cried over, expressed faith to receive.
So I honor my husband for doing the very toughest of tasks, a new step that requires a new level of faith and commitment in allowing the dream to die. I am so proud to be your wife, to have followed you to over 30 countries preaching the Gospel all under the framework of this magnificent organization called Project 1615, Inc. I am tremendously humbled to have been along for this grand life. To you, Project 1615, as I sit here writing this letter I have so many deep emotions for you. I hope you fully understand as you prepare to end, the deep sacrifice my husband gave for you: the years of never being able to tell who he is or what he does, the hardness of living a life completely underground, that crazy parasite that threw everything off for him for many years to come. I, for a season, was a bit miffed at you for those hard things. But, I can't help but to be so thankful to you as well. Because of you, I've learned faith. Because of you, I have had the opportunity to touch various cultures and people groups all around the world. It changed me to my core. I am forever grateful to the husband who had the courage to begin those 15 years ago and an organization that created a platform for the Gospel message going out into the nations of Central Asia. You, 1615, created a bible for a nation. We salute you. We give you back to God and we honor your life.
In memory of Project 1615, Inc. August 22, 2002 - December 31, 2017.
“Forget about what’s happened, don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present, I am about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out, don’t you see it? There it is. I am making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.”
“Listen carefully: unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds onto life just as it is, destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you will have it forever, real and eternal.”