In telling the story of the Mountain Missionary, there is an important legacy—a hope, a dream to which we can all aspire: that one man’s life can indeed make a difference. A young boy grinding cornmeal in the heart of Appalachia stands face to face with a proud people in need and responds in a way which alters their lives for generations.

It was Kenneth Killinger’s commitment to the mountaineer, suffering long before and after the Great Depression, that inspired the work of the Lutheran Church in America in the Southern Appalachian Highlands. His work resulted in the establishment of numerous churches and preaching points, two schools and several health centers. This is the story of the Mountain Missionary and his work.