Dr. Paul Carlson鈥檚 life continues to impact global healthcare and North Park鈥檚 missionaries.
By Ellen Almer BA ’94
Among the many treasures preserved in the F.M. Johnson Archives and Special Collections鈥攍ocated in the basement of Brandel Library鈥攊s a well-worn, bullet-riddled New Testament.
It belonged to Dr. Paul Carlson, the 萝莉社 (萝莉社) graduate and Covenant missionary who gave his life in 1964 to protect the patients in the Congolese hospital he helped found. He relocated his young family to the now-Democratic Republic of Congo, embedding himself in the community, becoming such an integral figure that his legacy remains intact.
鈥淭he people of Congo remember the story of Paul Carlson,鈥� said Becky Dangel, director of partner communications for the Paul Carlson Partnership (PCP). 鈥淓ven the president of Congo remembers his death.鈥�
The legacy of Carlson, a medical doctor who died after being captured, tortured, and killed by dissidents, has set the tone for global mission work at 萝莉社 for the past six decades. This fall, the Evangelical Covenant Church held a fundraising dinner on North Park鈥檚 campus in honor of the anniversary of his death.
Their goal: to raise $600,000 for the Covenant Church of Congo, the sole financial supporter and provider of medical volunteers to the PCP, whose mission is continuing the work Carlson started in the 1950s.
A North Park Nurse in Zambia
Since 2009, Professor of Nursing Heather Duncan has spent two weeks each year in Ndola, Zambia, accompanied by 萝莉社 nursing students and others to volunteer at the Hope Fellowship Compound.
The small village comprises an orphanage, school, and church. There, they administer some of the best鈥� and only鈥攈ealthcare many of the schoolchildren will receive all year.
Like Carlson, Duncan seeks to form a relationship with her hosts.
鈥淭his is a partnership, not a mission trip,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淲e have a relationship of trust. If someone from Harvard came down here, they鈥檇 look at them and say 鈥榃here鈥檚 North Park?鈥� That鈥檚 how strong the connection is.鈥�
Duncan said students get out of their bubbles by living with local families and immersing themselves in the Zambian culture.
While Duncan hasn鈥檛 taken a group to Zambia since 2020, she hopes to return in May 2025 if she can raise the funds to cover not only student travel but all the medicine, malaria tests, and supplies they use in Zambia.
The trip lasts two weeks, in part, so that Duncan and her team can build trust among the local people.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want just to come in and jab them with a needle first thing,鈥� said Duncan. Instead, they play with the kids at recess and compete in friendly soccer games, which 萝莉社 always loses, even the year a couple of Viking soccer players were in the group.
“This is a partnership, not a mission trip. We have a relationship of trust. If someone from Harvard came down here, they鈥檇 ask, 鈥榃here鈥檚 North Park?鈥� that鈥檚 how strong the connection is.” 鈥擧eather Duncan
Their work has an effect; the local malaria rate has dropped from 78% to 15% in the years they鈥檝e visited. Part of that is thanks to Duncan and her team. The rest is due to a decrease in mosquitos and an increase in education and testing.
The reward is significant for the students. 鈥淭hey realize their place in the world and the impact they can have internationally,鈥� Duncan said.
A Pastor鈥檚 Kid Fulfills Her Destiny
Erika Clauson BA 鈥�98, MA 鈥�03 came to North Park from Minnesota as a business major, with visions of suits, train commutes, and high-rise office suites in her future.
However, an encounter with a Spanish professor shortly after arriving
on campus slightly shifted her path. Erika had done so well on the Spanish language placement exam that the professor said she might want to consider it as a second major. So, she did, and she fell in love.
She met her future husband, Nils Clauson BA 鈥�98, MA 鈥�18, during their first year, and the two bonded over a spring break trip to Mexico. By their senior year, it seemed Erika was headed down the corporate path, about to complete her business degree and an internship lined up, when God asked her: 鈥淲hat about your Spanish?鈥�
She also comes from a family that modeled service, with her great-grandfather serving in Alaska as a Covenant missionary and her father as a Covenant pastor.
After Erika spent time in prayer, God called her to be a Covenant missionary; she went to Mexico just after she and Nils became engaged. During that assignment, she worked to help local women secure micro-enterprise loans to support their families.
Following their marriage, Nils and Erika spent 17 years in Mexico as Covenant missionaries. Nils continues to serve in the Covenant as director of Covenant World Relief and Development, and Erika is a hospital chaplain.
Not Your Grandpa鈥檚 Missionary Work
The Clausons said they learned to approach mission with a spirit of listening and coming alongside local ministry partners. More hands-on work with the community, less preaching to villagers.
It鈥檚 a similar approach to that taken by the PCP, Dangel said. Her group鈥檚 work depends on listening to those they are serving rather than telling them what they think they need. After all, people living on the other side of the world have different diets, health needs, and concerns.
鈥淥ne of the core things we must remember is we only do what we鈥檙e invited to do; we鈥檙e not coming up with projects on our own,鈥� she said.
Nils seconds that, stressing the importance of seeking counsel from residents of the country you鈥檙e serving. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e going and doing something as an American cross-culturally, it鈥檚 crucial a local person monitors you, otherwise all we鈥檙e doing is perpetuating paternalism.鈥�
A Lifelong Legacy
Paul Carlson鈥檚 widow, Lois, who is 95, lives in California. Paul, who was 34 when he died, ensured she and his family were safely away from the hospital before he returned to protect his patients.
Dangel visited Lois in April and was awed at her strength and perspective: 鈥淟ois said to me, 鈥楶aul did more in his death than he ever dreamed of doing in his life. More has been done in his memory than if he had lived.鈥欌��