Pastor and Mrs.Doyle Barnett arrived in Shanghai from San Francisco in July, 1940. Then they boarded a ship heading for Wan Zhou, their intended destination. En route they were intercepted by Japanese warships and were ordered to return to Shanghai.

Once back in Shanghai they started their language study. As they were getting ready for mission service, the war situation worsened and it became necessary for them to leave immediately. As they were requested to head for Burma, they started their journey at night under the cover of darkness. By traveling at night, often on foot, they reached the hills that form the border between China and Burma after several months of hardship.

Once in Burma, the Barnetts resumed their year-long lessons in the Chinese language. Then they were ready to enter the interior of China beyond the reach of the Japanese Imperial Army. Traveling in a caravan made up of over a dozen trucks owned by the China Division, Doyle operated one of these trucks carrying their own belongings as well as a full load of supplies for the Adventist medical, educational, and publishing institutions in Free China. The Burma-China Road was notoriously dangerous. A dirt road built on high mountains and paved only with crushed rocks, it had numerous tight turns and questionable bridges. Vehicles had to operate at minimal speed to avoid falling into deep canyons located next to the narrow roadbed. At times Doyle must speed up his vehicle as he approached a bridge in order to cross it before the enemy’s bombers would take it out. No one had the heart to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the road because of the great dangers surrounding them.

Members of the caravan were welcomed by the Warrens and (Milton and Helen) Lees when they passed through Kumming, the provincial capital of Yunnan Province. After another two weeks of travel they reached their destination, Chungking, the war-time capital of China where the China Division had its war-time headquarters. They got there just in time for the Division Annual Meeting! The Barnetts were assigned to Yunnan Mission and Doyle thought his assignment in China was to be as publishing secretary at a union mission. Ironically during his 43 years of denominational service he was never in the literature ministry. One should understand, because at that time when a missionary was sent overseas often he would not serve in the capacity for which he was trained. Rather, he would be asked to fill a position which was vacated by furlough or other reasons.

Milton Lee, who was serving as the president of Yunnan Mission, was ready for his furlough in 1944. After his departure, Doyle was asked to assume the position Milton vacated. The Barnetts served in Yunnan for seven years and much was achieved during those years. Many ethnic Chinese who lived in cities and minority tribal people who lived in villages scattered in the mountains accepted Christ as their personal Savior. The Lees and the Barnetts started a training school where many of the local believers received training and became denominational employees and teachers.

At the end of their seven-year term, the Barnetts returned to the U.S. and spent their one-year furlough in the Seminary furthering their education. When they returned to China, they found the political landscape was changing rapidly and nearly all missionaries were relocated to Hong Kong. It was impossible for them to go to Yunnan. Therefore they remained in Hong Kong assisting the Division Evangelist, Fordyce Detamore with a large public effort. After the Bible Correspondence School was relocated from Shanghai to Hong Kong, Doyle was asked to be its superintendent. When a new Bible Correspondence School was established in Taiwan, the Barnetts were relocated there to head that operation. Later Pauline became the Sabbath School Secretary for the South China Island Union Mission and did a marvelous job during her term in office.

In 1963 the Barnetts were asked to go to Singapore. There Doyle served as the Secretary for the Lay Activity Department and Pauline served as Sabbath School secretary for the Southeast Asian Union Mission (SEAUM) comprising a multi-national, multi-racial and multi-cultural territory. The Barnetts served with distinction among the various groups ministering, mentoring and providing assistance to them.

In 1975 the Far Eastern Division asked Doyle to head the Stewardship Department as well as serving as a trustee for the Spirit of Prophecy branch. Pauline continued her position as the Union Sabbath School Secretary promoting child evangelism. Under Doyle’s leadership, the Stewardship Department extended its operation to all levels of the church organization. The Spirit of Prophecy branch assisted many national groups to translate and publish the precious writings of Ellen G. White into their own languages.

Just before retirement, Doyle served as the administrative assistant to the Far Eastern Division president. As of this writing, Pauline and Doyle are spending their retirement years in the U.S. helping the radio broadcasting efforts to China.