Nr.150 ended with: “After three months this living room became too small and we had to start a second study in another place and living room, but that is for next time…………!” (See richardandmarina.net).

A wonderful couple in the ancient city of Ieper (Ypres), right in Flanders Fields, opened their home for a Bible study. At the end of WW1 there was nothing left of this city, but it was rebuilt and one way to enter it is through a beautiful archway, the “Menin Gate” with the names of about 55.000 fallen soldiers on it. Every night, since 1927, at 8pm the “Last Post” is sounded. Terrible battles were fought with hundreds of thousands dead and there are close to 150 cemeteries in and around the city, some with only a few graves, one with 12.000.

Now a different battle was waging, a spiritual one. A number of people from the first study came to this new one and brought friends and family members along. The man who had said, “you’ll never see me again”, attended also and became, together with his wife, a born again Christian. It didn’t take long before the large living room was filling up. What a time we had. It is impossible to tell everything that happened there, but one incident comes to mind as it really shows God’s intervention. The study was held on Sunday evening and one night I was not able to be there due to some other engagement. I asked a dear brother from another assembly to give the Bible study. I mentioned to him that there would be some new people present, so to make sure not to mention baptism, as this would be the first time for the two couples to be there, and it could just turn them off.

Well the brother came and gave the study, talking about Joshua crossing the river Jordan. A river has water, and sure enough he gave quite an explanation about baptism. I don’t know why he did this and how it could be that he had forgotten what I had told him. The lady of the house, who had invited the new people sat with her head down praying and wondering how the new ones would react. Nothing was said that evening, but a few days later she saw those people and carefully asked them about the study. They thought it had been real good. She, again very carefully asked what they thought about what was said about baptism. They looked at her with a blank look on their faces. It turned out that they had not heard that part, amazing, the Lord must have closed their ears! Yes, God Himself was at work, just wait, there is more to come, and looking back, I just thank God that we were allowed to be part of His wonderful working…………….! (Go to Musings).