Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Darrikhuma.
Dan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My family immigrated to the United States in 1964 when I was eleven months old. We settled in Takoma Park, Maryland where and attended Sligo Elementary School and Takoma Academy. I served in the US Army in the early 80’s as an infantryman, paratrooper, and in the mechanized infantry for four years. After serving my last two years in Germany, I completed my undergraduate degree at Walla Walla College in College Place Washington and entered ministry on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. After 7 years, I moved back to Maryland, served as an associate pastor for a Southern Asian congregation in Silver Spring, and completed seminary in Michigan. I came back to the DMV and served in Vienna, VA, South Central Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, and finally returned to Maryland in 2017, I wanted to be closer to my mother who lived in Upper Marlboro. I have been serving as the pastor of the Waldorf Seventh-day Adventist Church since 2017.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have an interracial marriage, and have found acceptance in every place I have pastored. Each congregation has its own unique personality and colloquial values and customs. I have pastored with Native Americans, Southern Asian/Indian, rural white and black American congregations, and in Waldorf where I pastor/serve a multi-cultural black congregation of West Indian, African, and American church members. Learning the customs and balancing the worldviews of each group has at times been challenging, but with patience, sensitive pacing, and lots of prayer, those challenges had a way of smoothing out.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have been a Seventh-day Adventist minister for 35 years. Although my academic training was in theology, biblical hermeneutics, and exegesis, I have become a specialist in conflict resolution, I preach on a regular basis and work with other congregations and denominations on common projects such as ministering to the homeless, community service projects, and being a healing presence in the community.
How do you define success?
Living a life of service to God and my fellow humankind. This includes caring, being compassionate, sensitive, networking and supporting likeminded organizations, and available and present when crisis confronts the community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.waldorfsda.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/414462825163
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-darrikhuma-0bb22964/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WaldorfSDAChurch
