Ken and Esther Herschell in a new mission field in Guinea, Africa.

 Our previous missionary service before arriving in Guinea was among the Bantu, but we quickly realised that the Africans in Guinea were hugely different. We had so much to learn so quickly that in the early months it seemed overwhelming.

Before going to our new home and mission base in the mountains, God spoke to me one night through a very vivid dream. It sure got my attention.

The dream was about flying aeroplanes. When you take off, you give full throttle then wait for the plane to pick up airspeed. When it is up to speed it will fly automatically, providing you don’t try to lift it off before it is ready. In my dream we were taking-off and I was trying to make the plane fly before it was ready. Suddenly, the plane began to go up like a helicopter until it stalled and crashed into the ground nose first There was an explosion and a fire. When I awoke, heart pumping and blood rushing through my veins, I knew that I needed to just go slowly and that this mission would only fly when the Lord was ready and we were up to speed!

Intense language and cultural lessons were needed first.

We decided to get a Pular language helper and try to read and learn as much as we could about Islam, especially “Folk” Islam. The mayor was Karim Bah, who was also the head of forestry for the local Commune of Pita. He was proficient in French and a real Muslim gentleman. He guided us despite our being Christian missionaries.

Ken’s testimony illustrates that:

1. God knows the best timing for important initiatives to be launched in our working lives.
2. God knows the best preparation needed for new endeavours. 
3. God can use dreams to direct our working lives.
4. God can also bring people alongside us to provide the skills we need to be successful in our endeavours

Dave Adams, author, Australia.

Ivan Comments:

As an enthusiastic Christian very involved in his church and unpaid ministry, Dave nevertheless needed to earn sufficient money in the secular world to care for his family. He was finding this a struggle. God, however, heard his prayers and began opening doors.

Dave Adams, Queensland, Australia

I was working in a factory that manufactured pharmaceuticals: packing drugs in a training role, while supporting some workers who had disabilities. When I became known to the owner for making some layout suggestions that were employed by the company, the owner offered me a job that was a lot more money plus a vehicle and it was a senior role within the company. I had no qualifications for this position other than generic management and practical experience in other fields.

I accepted the role and all of a sudden found myself the Production Manager for a busy manufacturing pharmaceutical company!

 God had blessed me with good health and so I had little or no experience in pharmaceuticals, or even a lay knowledge, of these products.

 I spent as much time on my knees praying for wisdom and ability as I had ever done in all my life. Sure, I made some mistakes, however there were times that I believe He prompted me to make a change or not to proceed on something – thereby saving me from error.

I successfully climbed the incredibly steep learning curve. I survived, with the Lord carrying me and blessing my work. I reduced the order waiting time from 7 weeks down to 2 weeks for special orders.

Even though my decision to accept this position may have been partly ego-driven, and it placed me under incredible pressure that led me to neglect my ministry, He was still there with me. I learned many lessons in that role:

His Grace was sufficient for me  

He equipped me as I needed. 

He will bless what I put my hand to.

God will be in your situation as well, as long as you humbly put Him first.

What David’s testimony illustrates about God:

1. God hears and responds to prayer about family needs. He, after all, is developing us to fit into His family.
2. God is involved in our working lives and can give us favour with those in authority.
3. God can somehow make up the gaps in our knowledge and support us in our endeavours.
4. God can give us wisdom in dealing with issues at work. 

DAVE ADAMS IS AUTHOR OF:

TERROR in OUR HOMELAND

TERROR in PARADISE

THE OTHER STOLEN GENERATIONS

Ken and Esther Herschell returning to Australia

Ivan comments: Ken and Esther left missionary work in Africa because caring for parents and good schooling for their growing children became essential. Ken had no job to return to and became a builder’s labourer in Brisbane. He had loved flying in the Congo and would look up when aircraft flew overhead. In Ken’s words:

I would watch the light aircraft fly over and ask the Lord what He was up to in my life? He was re-orientating me to Australia.

My son Andrew and I struggled with reverse culture shock more than the girls did. Perhaps we were more Africanised than they were in our minds. For the first year we had Africa for supper every night. We were all trying to adjust to a new country and we were struggling.

 Andrew was at the large 1,000 student Balmoral High School in Brisbane, while the girls were attending the local Morningside State Primary school.

At the end of the first year, I had an invitation to go as assistant pastor to the Toowoomba Assembly of God. However, this fell through, but we liked Toowoomba and preferred to move there rather than remain in Brisbane.

 We tried to find places for Andrew and Robyn at the Lutheran Concordia College in Toowoomba. They said they were full but would let us know if there were any cancellations.

The time arrived for the children to return to school – to buy uniforms and books etc., so I said on the Friday that Andy would have to go back to Balmoral High. He said, “Dad, the Lord does not want us to go backwards, He wants us to go to Toowoomba.” I replied, “Andy, you go and pray. If you get a place at Concordia in the next two hours then we will go, otherwise we are staying in Brisbane.”

Within the two hours the telephone rang with an offer of two places at Concordia! We then knew that God wanted us there even though I didn’t have a job. The children had places in school. Thank you, Andy, for your faith. Thank you, Lord, for your guidance.

My employer in Brisbane was invited to go to Toowoomba to build the New Assembly of God church at Spring Street, Toowoomba!! I went and had my old job back doing labouring, helping tp lay the foundations of the new church such that they later humorously called me a ‘foundation member’ of the Spring Street Assembly.

We were now in the beautiful garden city of Toowoomba as an answer to prayer. While still in the Congo I had said to the Lord. “If we ever go back to Australia I would like to live on the mountains of the Great Divide.” I suggested Toowoomba or Armidale. Now we were there knowing absolutely, from His guidance and organisation, that we were there in His will although we could not yet see our purpose.

In the mid-Year of 1983 I was praying that the Lord would open the way out of labouring.

One day the Salvation Army Captain came to the building site and asked me to consider being the Crusade Manager for Bill Newman’s Toowoomba Crusade. What a shock! One week I was in dirty labourer’s clothes the next with a tie on, with an office and secretary. This was a steep learning curve for me. I had to arrange for Press Interviews with the local TV station, men’s breakfasts, and committee meetings.

Thankfully, the Crusade was a great success and the meetings well attended.

While in the Crusade Office one day, Pastor Bryn Barrett, the AOG Minister, came to me and said that his assistant Minister had resigned and he asked me to come on staff as his assistant.

 I became the assistant minister there at Toowoomba for the next eight years. It was a great time of ministry and a fitting church for our teenagers to grow up in and form friendships. During this time, Esther watched over the women’s daytime home groups and eventually became the District Women’s Ministry President. We both benefitted tremendously from a mission’s group we started of fine committed Christians; some of who had already been missionaries while others would become missionaries in the future.

Ken and Esther’s account illustrates that:

1. God can arrange educational opportunities for our children when doors seemed closed.
2. God can take us through a series of work situations until He opens a position for us to serve Him in.
3. God can create opportunities for our ministry when doors appear to have been shut.
4. God’s timing is always correct for the changes that come into our lives.
5. God can reproduce our ministry and enthusiasm in others.
6. God is still supportive of mission work.

Maria Onions in Australia.

Ps 86 vs 17 has proven important in my life: “Give me a token (sign) for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.”

In church life, every minister or pastor will have times of misunderstanding and very stressful situations, even hatred directed at him. It was at such a time, as a minister’s wife, that I came across the above verse. As I read it, I immediately spoke out aloud and said “Lord, please show us a token for good!” We really needed a break away from the problems!!

A few days went by, then I received a phone call from a friend in a different denomination who knew nothing of our stressful situation. She invited us to go and spend a week at their holiday house by the sea for free!  Immediately, I recognised this as our ‘token for good’. I felt humbled at this wonderful, speedy provision in answer to prayer.

We were able to arrange for a super and restorative week’s break. We came home rested and refreshed, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead!

Maria’s Testimony shows that:

1. God likes us to know and quote scripture.
2. God hears and answers prayer.
3. God is faithful in His love for us. 

The upcoming Topic 32 – A Festival of Testimonies – will complete this blog because it will have achieved its purpose – to illustrate beyond doubt that God is alive and active today – in loving, compassionate, powerful, brilliant, creative ways. Please ask friends to send in testimonies as soon as possible for this final topic. Thank you.