Nr.32 ended with: “I grabbed the steering wheel and said “Well, if I ever get a wife, I want someone who loves the Lord like you do.” We drove back to the College with much on our minds…….!”

Right from the beginning it clicked between us, no it wasn’t love at first sight, neither did we fall in love, in fact it took quite a while before love entered into the picture. It ultimately did and is now stronger than ever, but at the first it was our love for the Lord, our mutual passion for Him and our desire to be on fire for Him, to be all out for Him that drew us together. Plus our strong desire to evangelize, to bring the wonderful story of Jesus to the people. We still have this, this is one reason why I am writing this, hoping that some will be touched by the Holy Spirit.

Marina and I kept corresponding with each other and meeting whenever she came to the College. More and more it seemed as though the Lord was drawing us together. It seemed to be the work of His Spirit to unite our hearts in our love and service for the Lord. At the same time I was struggling as I had done in California when this tremendous offer of going to university to become a doctor was presented. And now again something presented itself, a woman! I wondered whether this also was the work of the enemy trying to get me away from God’s real purpose for me, to preach the wonderful gospel of Christ. Another battle was going on in my heart, what was I to do……..?

What I didn’t know was that Marina was having that struggle too, until I received a letter from her. Here is an excerpt, “I sense the seriousness of this and I have cried out to the Lord like never before, Thy will be done, oh God help me to know Thy perfect will.” We were both very much afraid to step outside the will of God, which was man’s original sin in the garden of Eden. But how were we to know His will…………? (Go to Musings)

Nr.31 ended with: “About a month later another weekend was planned and a small team of students went with Marina. I was one of them ……………..!”

We drove to a town called Beechy and rented the local theater for $5.-  to hold a Christmas service. We then went visiting homes inviting people. The students had a play, Marina used her accordion to sing Christmas songs, she and I sang a duet and I preached on the meaning of Christmas. We had bought boxes of oranges, apples, nuts and candy for treats. It was a great service and we were very blessed.

On Sunday afternoon we drove to another town and invited people to an evening meeting, Afterwards we were asked to come to a Nurses Residence for coffee, but Marina felt that 2 women and a man wanted to talk. The driver of our car threw his keys at Marina and said, go ahead use the car and go visit them. I offered to go along to talk with the man. Before we went into the house we prayed together in the car, as we usually did. I asked the Lord to use us to touch the hearts of these people, but I also asked that if there was anything between the two of us that should not be there, to please take it away. After I had received Marina’s letter, I had written back and we had started corresponding. In between the two weekends Marina had come to the College to teach about Bible clubs and we had been together to talk about her work and also to practice singing duets. And so slowly something seem to be growing, that’s why I prayed the way I did. We went into the house and had a profitable conversation with these three people. As we drove back to pick up the other students, I asked Marina what was on her mind. She answered, “I wonder whether the Lord is saying that we should be working together.” I grabbed the steering wheel and said “Well, if I ever get a wife, I want someone who loves the Lord like you do.” We drove back to the College with much on our minds…….! (Go to Musings)

Nr.30 ended with: “I then asked whether they knew who this young man was. Of course they had no idea……….!”

You may find this strange, but I had given my testimony in such a way that they had no idea I was talking about myself and were very surprised and moved when I told them. When the meeting was finished, the father told the young people to follow our example and not his and his drinking habits. Most of the young people left but a few stayed behind and we could talk with them some more and a couple accepted the Lord Jesus.

The team was able to stay overnight with people Marina knew. On Sunday we went to another town where Marina had a Bible club. We visited homes, inviting people to a meeting in a home. I led the meeting and Marina played the accordion for the singing. Then the lady staff member told about her work as a missionary in Cuba. After that I preached and the Lord gave real liberty, I was amazed. We did some more visitation in the afternoon and then drove back to the College very satisfied with the fruitful and blessed time we had. To me it was a real confirmation of the Lord’s calling me into this kind of ministry. Of course, at that time I did not know that over the next 50 years I would be preaching hundreds of times in such home meetings, seeing many people come to know the Lord and lives being changed, what a thrill. And I really discovered that the pure Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is indeed the power of God to salvation, and able to change lives.

Marina must have also been blessed as I received a letter from her in which she wrote how thankful she was that I had come along and taken initiative in leading and speaking, which she herself had done in the past, but did not feel comfortable with being a woman. About a month later another weekend was planned and a small team of students went with Marina. I was one of those them ……………..! (Go to Musings)

Nr.29 ended with: “One weekend the school sent me and a couple others out with her…….!”

Allow me to go back to episode nr.1 for a moment. I wrote there: “My wife and I were just married 50 years and we have been serving the Lord together all those years. We would like to share some of our experiences and answers to prayer with the purpose of showing that God is really real!”

Up till now it has been about me, how the Lord touched and drew me to Himself. How He called me into His service and led me and provided for me to go to Bible College. But now the story changes, because another person, a wonderful lady called Marina comes into the picture.

On Saturday, she, three students plus a staff member drove about 100 km north of the College to a small town. We did home visitation in the afternoon and two of the team continued on in the evening. Marina had gone to a home where she had a Bible club in the past. Towards evening another student and I went to that home too. One of the children of the family brought in a number, 12 or so, young teenagers. They began playing records and started dancing. Marina asked the father who had been drinking whether we could have a little meeting. He told the young people to be quiet and listen to this lady and her friends. Marina had an accordion along and she and I sang a couple duets, she sang soprano and I tenor, we harmonized perfectly, even though this was the first time we ever sang together. I then told a story about a certain young man who had left home in Holland at age 18 to start a new life in Canada. But he got into the wrong company, began to drink and did other dumb things. Finally that young man got so sick of the way he was living that he gave his life to God and changed totally. I then asked whether they knew who this young man was. Of course they had no idea……….! (Go to Musings)

 

Nr.28 ended with: “After the meeting I went to meet her at her display table. I had no idea how special she was, but I would soon find out and both of us would be extremely surprised…..!”

Let me just come back for a moment to my encounter and experience with God. I said, the more of myself I gave to Him, the more of Himself he gave to me. James puts it in another way, “Draw nigh unto God and He will draw nigh unto you.” Ch.4:8a. Do you do that? Do you really want to experience God? Then make time to draw nigh to Him, by reading His word, praying and waiting on Him. But isn’t that our problem today, we are so busy with everything else, we don’t have time to draw nigh to Him? Isn’t that what Jesus did though, getting up early in the morning, or withdrawing from the crowd to draw nigh to the Father? Let’s follow His example and see what happens, I challenge you!

Now let’s get back to this young woman, the director of Child Evangelism. She would come to the College occasionally to teach students how to do children’s work and hold Bible clubs. I was very much interested in this and so I attended some of her sessions. After one of these we got talking to each other and she asked where I was from and I told her that my friend Martin and I were from Ontario. She looked at me in amazement and said, then you must be the wild friend I have been praying for, for quite some time. What a discovery! Then I was amazed because I had no idea that some students at the College had been praying for some time for Martin and his wild friend, and now, here we met, unbelievable! Absolutely amazing. Her name was Marina, more about her later, suffice to say that she would also come to the College to ask for students to go with her on evangelistic weekends in towns further north in area’s where there were few evangelical Christians. One weekend the school sent me and a couple others out with her…….! (Go to Musings)

 

Nr.27 ended with: “A short time later I flew back to Canada, not knowing that there I would have two special encounters………!”

Even though my friends in California were disappointed, as true Christians they realized that I needed to heed the call of God. This did not change our friendship, in fact 2 years later I would again be working for them for about 3 to 4 months.

I arrived back at the college a few days before classes started. And, you might find this strange, but my first surprise encounter was with God Himself. He revealed Himself in a new way to me. For two or three days it felt like I was in heaven, the presence of the Lord was so real, it felt like I could almost touch Him. The experience, one of the highest ones in my whole Christian life, is difficult to describe. I won’t say anymore about it because some might think that they are not as good a Christian because they have not had an experience like that. But I have said before already that God deals with every person in a different way. At the same time, I discovered that the more I give of myself to the Lord, the more of Himself He gives to me. It had been a real struggle in California, but finally I gave myself afresh to God, wanting to do His will, and now He gave Himself afresh to me, wonderful! God is really real and really present! Give yourself to Him totally and you’ll find out for yourself.

The Fall Conference began, lasting from Thursday evening until Sunday evening with many people attended the meetings. Again missionaries from all over the world came and told their stories of God’s working in the lives of people in different countries. At one meeting the principle introduced a young woman who was the director for Child Evangelism in south western Saskatchewan. He called her the hardest working young woman in the province. After the meeting I went to meet her at her display table. I had no idea how special she was, but I would soon find out and both of us would be extremely surprised…..! (Go to Musings)

Nr.26 ended with: “They offered to pay all my expenses! I was flabbergasted and almost fell off my chair.…….!” What an offer! I didn’t know what to say. I asked them to give me time to think and especially pray about it, which was fine with them. I thanked them of course for their love and generosity and told them that I was speechless. And so, night after night when the work was done I would be in my trailer reading my Bible and praying, reasoning with God about becoming a doctor, which I so much would like to be and now the opportunity presented itself in such a wonderful way. I told God that He can use doctors, or I could become a missionary doctor and so on. But as I prayed the Lord impressed upon my heart that I was to go back to Bible College to become a preacher. Finally, after a long struggle I submitted to Him and a wonderful peace filled my heart. I told my friends and they, of course were very disappointed.You may know the statement, “Man says, give me tools and I’ll do the job.” God says, “Give me fools and I’ll do the job.” In the eyes of the world I was a fool, to refuse an offer and opportunity like that! Doctors have good salaries, I don’t. Doctors usually live in big, fancy houses, I don’t. Doctors usually drive nice big, new cars, I don’t. But I have something else; I have the inward joy of having obeyed the will of God. I have the joy of having been an instrument in the hands of God to change the lives of many, many people and that, my dear friends is worth more than all the things this world has to offer. I don’t mind being a fool in the eyes of many, I have been called that and I will continue to be that. I challenge you to become a fool for Christ and become an instrument in His hands and experience His peace, power and joy! A short time later I flew back to Canada, not knowing that there I would have two special encounters………! (Go to Musings)

Nr.25 ended with: “I had become very good friends with John and his wife, and one day he made me an offer that made me reel………!”

It was so good to be with them. Every Sunday I would go to church with them and then spend most of the day at their house, enjoying good meals and fellowship. I was still a young Christian while they were much older and more experienced in the Lord. We talked and talked. They wanted to know about my family in Holland and the war years and why I had come to Canada by myself and so on. They told about their family and background and experiences, it was just great. The work was hard, but I really enjoyed it. I also was very fond of the mobile home I stayed in right in the orchard with such quietness around me. I had such wonderful times reading my Bible and good books.

During one of my visits with John and his wife, we got talking about the past again and somehow I mentioned that when I was in my early teens I had had a real desire to become a doctor, for two reasons, first, the human body fascinates me (see Youtube, “The incredible human machine”, 9 video’s), and secondly, I would so much like to help sick people. However, that never materialized as I knew my parents did not have the finances for that, and secondly, the Lord had other plans for me, of which, of course, I was not aware of at that time. Then, one day as I was at John’s home again, he all at once turned to me and made me an unbelievable offer. He said that they had come to like me and they wondered whether I would consider staying with them, living in the mobile home and helping them as much as I could and then they would put me through university to as yet become a doctor. I was 21 at the time, so that was still possible. They offered to pay all my expenses! I was flabbergasted and almost fell off my chair.…….! (Go to Musings)

Nr.24 ended with: “A few days later I flew to California, not knowing that there my surrender to God would be greatly tested…….!”

80 percent of the world’s almonds come from California’s Central Valley, an 800,000 acre area of almond orchards. My employer, John Vis, had two farms, one where the son lived and where the buildings were with most of the turkeys. John himself lived in a small town, Denair, east of Turlock. He also owned orchards with fruit trees, peaches and almonds. I lived in a large mobile home in an almond orchard which also had several thousand turkeys in an enclosed area. The trees were irrigated from canals that carry water from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. One of my jobs was to move the irrigation pipes and sprinklers twice a day so that all the trees got watered. It was hard work as it was very warm, often up to 40 C* or even more. Several times a day we would jump into the canal with our clothes on to cool off. Once the almonds were ready to be harvested, we would use clubs with thick rubber endings, climb a tree, stand in a fork and hit the branches so that the almonds would fall on the ground. Then we would rake them together and put them in bags and they were shipped out. 

One day I was standing quite high up in a tree, lifting up my arms with the club ready to bring it down hard on some branches, when I felt my shoulder slip out, being dislocated, which had happened twice before in Bible College. There I stood, not able to move. Another worker came with a piece of irrigation pipe and held it against my chest to keep me balanced and I was able to slowly twist my shoulder back in, which was very painful. I couldn’t work for two weeks as my arm was in a sling. I had become very good friends with John and his wife, and one day he made me an offer that made me reel………!(Go to Musings)

Nr.23 ended with: “So let’s remember those words, “Don’t take your eyes off the tree until you get to the other side.” That’s what faith is all about! Now what about California………?”

Allow me to repeat once more, “Don’t take your eyes of the Tree.” Hebrews 12:2-3 says, “Looking unto Jesus (not people),…… for consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” So there’s the remedy for discouragement: “Consider Him!” Keep your eyes on Him!

The end of my first year had come. We had a tremendous closing conference with the graduation of the third year students. The college had beside a large choir also a smaller one, a radio choir with 14-16 students. Though I am not a nightingale, I was part of that choir. Every Sunday night the college would have a radio broadcast for southern Saskatchewan. The principal would speak and the choir would sing several songs. After the closing of the school year, the radio choir traveled for two weeks visiting a different church every evening somewhere in Sask. It was a great time. After returning from this tour I worked for a local farmer doing the seeding for him. How I loved that, driving the tractor and going around these enormous fields. At one time we were warned about  a grasshopper plague and some fields that were green already were bare the next morning eaten clean by the grasshoppers. We sprayed the other fields as quickly as possible; one time I sat on the tractor for 58 hours, then I got sick from tiredness and inhaling the poison.

I helped at a children’s camp in Alberta for two weeks in June and there I met a man and his wife in their 60’s from California, who’s forefathers had come from Holland. They asked me to come and work on their farm, they had 30.000 turkeys and 4.000 fruit trees, peaches and almonds. I would earn enough to go back to College. A few days later I flew to California, not knowing that there my surrender to God would be greatly tested…….! (Go to Musings)