Person

Post, Walter (1904-1982)

14 January 1904-1982

Walter Post was born on 14 January 1904 in Chicago, Illinois and died in (September?) 1982. Brought up in a Dutch home and the Christian Reformed Church, he received what he considered to be an excellent background in Christian life and practices. In 1921, through the ministry of an evangelist, he made a personal decision to follow Christ.

Shortly after this decision his family began attending a newly formed Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) church led by R.R. Brown. This church introduced Walter to the Alliance’s missionary program, but it was not until he took a course from Dr. Robert H. Glover at Moody Bible Institute’s Evening School that he felt a desire to become a missionary. In 1926 he began studies at the C&MA’s Missionary Training Institute in Nyack, N.Y., intending to pursue missions in a general way. Following his time at Nyack, Post continued his studies at Wheaton College, although he had to withdraw for a time because of personal financial difficulties brought on by the Great Depression.

While at Wheaton, he was encouraged by Dr. W.M. Turnbull to apply to the C&MA’s Foreign Department for a field assignment. The board responded with an appointment to a new field that was being opened by Dr. R. Jaffray in Borneo, Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia). He accepted and, under the sponsorship of the South Side (C&MA) Church of Chicago (pastored by A. W. Tozer), sailed from Seattle in November 1931. He arrived in Borneo a month later. There he met fellow C&MA missionary Viola M. Griebenow, whom he married in 1932.

The Posts worked in East Borneo (Kalimantan) for a year and then were sent to Makassar to work in the Bible school there. After their first furlough, they pioneered a mission effort in New Guinea (Irian Jaya), but in 1943, with the advance of the Japanese forces, they were evacuated to Australia. While there, they were asked by the Netherlands Forces Intelligence Service to assist in translation and interrogation work.

They were flown to Makassar in September 1945 to assist in post war rehabilitation. For the next few years Walter served as chairman of the field and taught in the Bible school. In 1952 the Posts were able to return to New Guinea (Irian Jaya) and work in the Bible school there. They retired in 1972.

Ambrose Archives

Revised 24 October 2019