Four Toast Henry: His story

I began my ELCA Global Mission work in 1997 teaching at the Lutheran Theological Seminary on Tau Fong Shan, Hong Kong. One of the students there was Henry Kung, a Chin from Myanmar. Over the next few years I helped him with research and development of his Doctoral dissertation. His wife had a baby and they asked me to name her. She became my God daughter named Katie after Martin Luther's wife, Katherine Von Bora.

While teaching at LTS, after the model of Luther, each Wednesday morning I held a table talk when we would discuss a theological question. Henry always ate 4 pieces of toast. When he had finished his fourth, we knew it was time to go to class. So I named him “4-Toast Henry.” It stuck and soon everyone used that name for him.

After returning to his home country, 4-Toast taught for several years and then became head of a new Bible school, Chin Christian College. It is located in a very restricted area of Myanmar where I cannot go. When I come to Yangon, Henry and Katie travel on public bus for an entire night and day to see me. Since 4-Toast is Baptist (most Myanmar Christians are Baptist and a few are Anglican) I had a special blessing for my Katie. After a few more years I will Baptize her.

Please see the attached picture of 4-Toast, his wife and their daughter standing in front of their home.

Jerry Schmalenberger
ELCA Global Mission Volunteer
Katie Kung's God Father