Koop, Abraham (1924-2002)
Abraham (Abe) Koop: missionary, b. 21 April, 1924 on a farm in Hochstadt (now Kleefeld), Manitoba to John J. B. and Aganetha (Barkman) Koop. He was the ninth child in a family of four sons and six daughters. On 10 December 1953 he married Delores (Dee) Bleich in Goiania, Goias, Brazil. They had three sons and one daughter.
Abe Koop was baptized on 18 July 1943 at Kleefeld by Aeltester Peter P. Reimer and became a member of the Kleefeld Kleingemeinde (now Evangelical Mennonite Church). Abe continued to be a member of this church until he died.
While completing his diploma studies at the Steinbach Bible Institute Abe accepted the call to become a missionary with New Tribes Mission. In 1949 he received his diploma and shortly after entered a year's missionary training with New Tribes Mission at Fouts Springs, California.
In 1950 Abe Koop went to Brazil as a missionary under New Tribes Mission with the support of the Kleefeld Evangelical Mennonite Church. In 1978 the Evangelical Mennonite Church Board of Missions accepted him as an Associate Missionary of the Conference. His ministry in Brazil lasted forty-five years. Forty-two of those years Dee was a supportive and faithful partner of Abe. During this time they returned to North America periodically for furlough. Abe had a deep concern for tribal people who had never heard the Gospel. The Koops pioneered the contact with the Pacaas Novas tribal people. They were instrumental in seeing a thriving church develop among this once primitive people. In addition to ministering with the Pacaas Novas people he also served on the missionary field council much of his time in Brazil. For many years he was also chairman of the missionary field council. During his final years in Brazil he served as missionary counsellor. Abe's fellow missionaries characterized him as a humble, patient, compassionate, understanding person who was faithful in serving God and his fellow human beings and one who practiced an effective prayer ministry.
Abe and Dee Koop returned to North America in June 1995 for retirement. They settled into a retirement home in Sanford, Florida. After a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer's disease, Abe passed into the presence of his Lord on 8 January 2002.
| Author(s) | Henry Klassen |
|---|---|
| Date Published | February 2004 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Klassen, Henry. "Koop, Abraham (1924-2002)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. February 2004. Web. 18 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Koop,_Abraham_(1924-2002)&oldid=88764.
APA style
Klassen, Henry. (February 2004). Koop, Abraham (1924-2002). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Koop,_Abraham_(1924-2002)&oldid=88764.
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