E. Robert Reynolds Jr. Student Loan Fund

A letter from Dave & Sandy Reynolds providing background

The purpose of this fund is to help students at the Pakistan Adventist Seminary to help themselves make it through college and become employable with increased opportunities for success due to having a good education. Also, as they pay back their loans, they in turn help other students, and hopefully the cycle will continue.

The fund is named in memory of E. Robert Reynolds, Jr. (known to his friends as Bob), who for many years served as a teacher, librarian, church pastor, and was the first Academic Dean for Pakistan Adventist Seminary (PAS). He was also instrumental in moving the school from being a secondary school to being a full fledged college, with full academic standing. In addition to service at PAS, he served the Pakistan Union of Seventh-day Adventists in a number of capacities throughout Pakistan. He served from 1951 until October 22 1966. Bob was born in Lahore, Pakistan (actually India at that time, but at the partition it became Pakistan) while his Father was working in that area. His father actually helped start the school that was later to become PAS. While teaching at PAS, he completed his Master of Arts Degree in Islamic History at The Punjab University in Lahore, Pakistan. He also completed all the requirements for his Ph.D. in Islamic History. He was the first Christian to receive any advanced degrees in Islamic Studies at an all Muslim university.

In the early hours of Saturday morning October 22, 1966 Bob was tragically shot through the brain while investigating a burglary at his families residence on the campus of PAS. Bob is the only person that we are aware of who has ever survived a bullet through the mid-brain, an area of the brain which controls all the basic functions of life. After reviewing his X-rays, top neurosurgeons all across the United States have given the opinion that his injury was not survivable. Yet Bob survived. About 2 weeks after being hospitalized in Lahore, Bob’s faculty advisor came to his room to inform him that his thesis had been accepted, and he was then called “Doctor”. His diploma was later received via the Pakistan consulate in Washington, D.C. Bob miraculously lived for another 39.5 years as a functional quadriplegic with very limited use of his left hand. As a close friend (who was also his nurse from 3 days post injury until he arrived in the United States Dec 1) told us shortly before he died, “Never once, in all the time I have known Bob, have I ever heard him say, ‘why me?'”. Bob loved God supremely, and always gave God his best. He also loved PAS and gave it the best years of his life. So we think it fitting to set up this student loan fund in memory of Bob Reynolds.

This fund will only be used for students at PAS. They must be students who are (1) not otherwise eligible for scholarships, and (2) not receiving church support, and (3) they can not afford to attend PAS without some form of assistance. Students must maintain passing grades to be able to continue borrowing from the fund until graduation. The fund will also pay for books needed in the course of studies. This fund is open to any who would like to donate to it. We (Dave & Sandi Reynolds) are acting as fund administrators at this time. PAS has opened an account at their bank in Sheikhupura, Pakistan, in the name of this fund. All loan repayments will go to that account, and be managed by the financial office of PAS.

It is the long term goal for this fund to become self supporting, but we do not expect that to happen for at least 20 years. We have asked the school not to release the names of fund donors, to the students. We want the students to take the loans seriously, and not think of them as gratis money from rich people which they do not need to repay. We are not personally rich, and would not like the fund taken for granted. We have kept the repayment monies in Pakistan, administered by PAS, to try and accomplish this goal. We would like this fund to become a Pakistani fund that ultimately is completely run and managed by native Pakistanis. We foresee a time in the future when that may be necessary for the survival of this fund, based on the geopolitical trends now sweeping that part of the world.

We will keep any donors who are interested up dated on who the students are that borrow, and how the fund is doing in accomplishing our goals. We welcome any suggestions or comments on how to improve the fund, or specific questions about the fund or students making use of the fund. We have authorized GEM Resources International to share our email address with any donors to the fund who would like to make direct contact with us. Thank you for your interest in this fund.

Sincerely,

Dave & Sandi Reynolds

Note: PayPal keeps a percentage of your donation for their operating expenses. That percentage varies from 5-10% depending on your location in the world. To have 100% of your donation to go to the Reynolds Student Loan fund you should send a check payable to “GEM Resources International.” Send it to the address shown at the right. On the memo line write “Account #250, Reynolds Student Loan.”