THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO ANY OF THE TESTIMONIES ON THE BLOG!!  We will be open for fresh testimonies for a while so please send that one you are thinking about!

Your testimonies have proved beyond a shadow of doubt that God is alive and wonderfully personal, powerful, creative and loving.

I think I have benefitted more than you or anyone else has. How can I say that? Because I have read them all – bet you haven’t yet – but I will be leaving the blog up at blog.ivanrudolph.com and perhaps in time adding a list of the newsletters for each topic. The most important thing though is that you start sharing your experiences of God with others, and perhaps start a Christian blog of your own, or encourage your church leaders to do so. The worldwide falling away of Christians will not likely be reversed until we return to telling others about what God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) has done and is doing in our lives, which is how the early church began changing the world. Go for it!!!!!!!

Subject: God can send angels to help in crisis situations.

Ian Feeney (Toowoomba Australia)

Ivan comments: You have met Ian previously and he has been a significant contributor to this blog – knowing the importance of personal testimony both in scripture and continuing nowadays. Thank you, Ian!!

Hello Ivan,

I’ve just read your blog on Angels and can testify to their presence.

On one of the many Duke of Edinburgh expeditions that Cheryl (Ian’s wife) was running in her time at the Christian outreach College Toowoomba we had a large group of young people doing a hike in the Girraween National Park. Cheryl ran about 8 expeditions a year during the 1990s. On this particular expedition, there was a young adult guest visitor from Brisbane who joined us. He was about 26 years old and had a mild form of cerebral palsy, mainly affecting his legs. He walked with two sticks.

My friend Paul Beasley and I provided transport and were back-up in case of need.

After dropping the group with the leaders at the underground creek location, we returned to camp. Not long after our return, we received a phone call saying that our Brisbane guest had fallen over and injured his knee and was unable to continue. Paul and I drove the four-wheel-drive in along the track as close as we could. We got to about 300 metres from him and realised we would need help to bring him back to the vehicle. The area had granite outcrops and large areas of sloping granite, some of which had been made slippery with rain water.

Realising that we would need a stretcher to retrieve the man, Paul and I retraced our steps and drove to the National Park ranger’s house where he gave us a recovery stretcher.

We returned as quickly as possible to the end of the track and carried the stretcher to the injured man. He was in considerable pain and we were at a loss as to how we were going to put him on the stretcher and get him back 300 metres to the four-wheel-drive!

As we lay the stretcher on the ground beside the man, we were surprised to see two well-built men appear dressed in what seemed to be khaki safari suits. They said, ”We’ll give you a hand.”

With their powerful help, we then easily got the injured man onto the recovery stretcher and then worked our way back to the four-wheel-drive across the slippery granite slopes, stopping every now and then to rotate positions.

Back at the four-wheel-drive, it took the four of us to get the injured man in across the rear seat without causing him pain. This done, Paul and I tied the recovery stretcher onto the racks on the top of the four-wheel-drive and turned to thank our helpers but they were nowhere to be seen! Paul and I looked at one another at the same time and we both said “I think they were angels.” There was a very real sense of God being with us. 

They had been perfect for the crisis situation – well built, didn’t waste words and knew what was required to be done.

We were both convinced of God’s provision of help.

What does Ian and Cheryl’s testimony reveal about God?

1. God, in line with other testimonies, must be aware of where we are and what is happening to us and our needs.
2. God still uses supernatural helpers such as angels, and often they disappear once they have succeeded in their mission. One elderly missionary, Mrs Moody, remembered turning to thank the man who had given her invaluable help, and he simply seemed to disappear into the tarmac before she could thank him.
3. God’s relationship to ourselves and our situation on Earth is more dynamic and closer than we generally realise.
4. God ensures that our time on earth includes many tests to develop us as His children, making us ready for an exciting and active afterlife starting on a New Earth in New Heavens.

Subject: God keeps a protective eye on His own children

Hilary Vickery in Zimbabwe, Africa

Hi Ivan, I have a testimony to share with you about how God watches over us every moment.  

On the 10th March, 2023 Brenda Naisbitt (you remember her from Harvest days) sent me an email out of the blue saying that she had suddenly thought of me and my family after many years and had a strong compulsion to contact me sending a verse she felt I might like to read. She told me that she had contacted you and Brenda to find out my address. Here is an extract of her email to me… 

 “It has been MANY years since we were at high school and Harvest! But recently (21st Feb, to be exact!) the Lord brought you to mind. Clear, warm memories of you & your brother Dave and your mum Pam. So I emailed Brenda Rudolph to ask after you and she kindly gave me your address.”

The verse she sent was as follows:

 “I know this to be God’s way of telling us HE “is constantly thinking about you, and watching everything that concerns you” … so “live carefree before Him, for He is most careful with you!” (1 Peter 5:7).

Now notice the date she included in brackets in her message to me – 21st Feb, to be exact! Here is where the testimony comes. On the 21st Feb we took a drive up the Vumba to spend the day with some dear friends of ours. Eventually we left them to come home soon after dark. As we drove back on a shockingly potholed, curvy road I saw the lights of a vehicle hidden around the corner and I pulled as far in to the mountainside as I could. I was traveling incredibly slowly because the road was so terrible. The next moment the car whose lights I had seen came crashing across my path going at a tremendous speed and unable to take the corner smashed past us into the trees and scrub along the edge of the road. All we could hear was the tremendous shattering of glass and the crash of metal. I was able to avoid being hit by only a miracle and eventually we drove home safely, although I was in shock.  

If we had been 10 seconds earlier we would have had the most terrible accident there. For some reason I found it hard to recover and I prayed about it with the Lord. Imagine how beautiful it was to then receive the message from Brenda Nesbit from that exact day telling me how my Father is watching over me every moment and is careful with me. 

To be honest with you I felt loved and comforted as though He had gathered me in His arms and told me not to worry because he was right there with me.

I could have just read that verse but the specific timing and the fact that Brenda mentioned it particularly in her email just had the fingerprints of my Father in Heaven. 

Hilary’s testimony reveals about God:

       1.God is amazing, He is great and glorious and reaches into our lives to the very second we need Him to.

2. God cares so much that He doesn’t leave us hanging but shows Himself to us in such tenderness. He is good.
3. God’s timing is immaculate and acts right across the world, in my case from the UK to Zimbabwe.
4. God can protect us from certain disaster.

Subject: God’s extraordinary guidance

Sandy van der Westhuizen in Queensland Australia

This happened just before we emigrated from South Africa and were very busy.

On our way back from sorting out emigration matters in Pretoria one day, we came across an accident that had just happened. A bakkie (ute) was on its side, and the trailer carrying Brahman bulls had overturned.

 As we pulled over to see if we could help, the occupants of the ute climbed out the side window. A man tried to move the one bull out of the road, and it attacked him. Within minutes he was sitting on the road with the bull trying to gore him, yelling for help.

 I had recently seen a TV program where an elephant was chased off by banging on a drum. I grabbed an empty bucket out of the back of an empty ute, and started hitting it and approaching the bull. It was scared away (phew!), and Eric managed to help the victim up and retreat to safety behind the other cars (where all the sensible people were sitting and watching). Fortunately, the bull’s horns had mostly gone on either side of him. A local vet was quickly on the scene to dart the bulls.

The following week we had parent/teacher interviews at the school where I was teaching. One 16-year old had been giving me a hard time – not working, and refusing to even listen when I tried to help him. He would sit with his head on his knees, obviously not wanting to be at school at all. Halfway through the parents’ evening, I was called over the intercom to the Head’s office, a parent had complained to the Head about me. (Every teacher’s nightmare – Ivan)

As I went into the Head’s office, I saw the parent was walking with difficulty. I asked him how he’d been hurt, and he said he’d been attacked by a bull the previous week at a road accident. When I told him that I was the crazy lady who had chased the bull off with a bucket, his whole attitude changed. I managed to explain his son’s belligerence was not for lack of trying on my part. The headmaster was also surprised to hear about my rash actions.

Sandy comments: When faced with emergency situations, God guides your actions, and protects you. It was also a novel way of getting on the right footing with a parent who could have been difficult!!

Subject: God can provide supernaturally.

Pastor Roland Pletts during Rhodesian Bush War

DRIVING ON AN EMPTY TANK

It was back in the days of the Rhodesian war that, together with some friends, I drove from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls. This was quite a long drive and I had planned to call in at Wankie town (now Hwangi) and refill as the gauge was showing very low, but somehow we were well past Wankie when I realised that I had forgotten to stop and fill up with petrol.

There was nothing for it but to continue and the three of us prayed and asked the Lord to watch over us and make the petrol last. My friends, Ben and Brenda, were ministers at Karoi and had been through many tough experiences such that nothing seemed to faze them too much.

Terrorists had ambushed and killed occupants of cars along that stretch of road. In one case in 1976, Sister Knauer had been the sole survivor of an ambush. Although wounded, she had rolled under the car and pretended she was already dead like the other passengers were.

There was no further place to get petrol and there was now no turning back. I was concerned because it was dangerous to be stranded on that road at that time. The petrol gauge had already indicated empty for a long way already. and as I was familiar with the vehicle and the gauge I expected the petrol to run out at any moment. We prayed and drove on, knowing that we still had a considerable way to go.

Finally, we approached the town of Victoria Falls and just before the town there is an incline. As we got to the top of the rise the engine spluttered and cut out and we free wheeled into town and coasted into the first garage and stopped at the petrol pump.

We had made it to the exact place of safety and provision! Thank you, Lord!

Whenever the three of us get together we always come to that moment in our reminiscing when we say, “Remember when we drove to Victoria Falls on an empty tank” and we rejoice in the keeping power of our Saviour Lord Jesus

Roland’s testimony illustrates that:

1. God can protect His people in extraordinary circumstances.
2. God can enable a vehicle to travel a great distance without fuel in the tank.
3. God can at times cover for our inefficiencies and mistakes – but these occasions are the exception and not the rule!

Subject: God likes honesty and may reward it.

Gill in Queensland, Australia

A lesson I learnt – I shopped at Woollies and discovered that I hadn’t paid for a small $9 bottle of vitamins. 
Oh well their mistake!

Then I thought ‘No that’s not a Christian attitude. After all if it was the other way around and they overcharged me $9, I would be back at woollies.’ 

So I took the receipt and bottle back and explained I needed to pay. The lady that served me was amazed and said “Wow, most people don’t bother. “ 
She continued, “I hope you have good karma you deserve it for being so honest over $9”

In the afternoon, my phone rang – it was the dental receptionist apologising for over charging me $30 on treatment . I have credit!!

I don’t believe in karma but I do believe God was showing me it’s good to be honest (especially as a Christian).

Gill’s testimony shows that:

1. God enjoys finding honesty in all people, whether Christian or not. Read Romans 2 with an open mind and you will find He has provided humankind with a conscience that He expects us all to live by, Christian or not.
2. God loves all of us, Christian or not, and has built certain principles into our universe to reward those who live to their consciences.

Subject: God in the Ukraine war.

Rev. Dave Smethurst’s testimony about rescuing children during the Ukraine war is of three teenage House of Hope girls who were taken to Germany for protection from the war, but who needed specialised medical treatment.

Three House of Hope girls went from Dusseldorf, Germany, to Riga, Latvia, for special medical treatment – the German medical system didn’t provide for the special treatment that these young ladies needed. (Dave oversees a number of orphanages in Latvia which care for and minister to thousands of children.)

The girls said, “Many thanks to every doctor and the whole trip to Latvia for treatment.”

The one girl’s tears of joy came from the fact that there is a chance that she will see fully again (her eyesight was only 10% in one eye and 40 % the other).  Another’s huge gratitude is that she has received successful treatment for her internal problems. The third young lady is very blessed with a help the doctors gave her to build up the iron in her body.”

The doctors and specialists, who attended these young ladies, were teenagers in the Church in Riga 30 years ago when I first ministered there – Sasha, my European manager, was the youth pastor there at that time. These doctors reminded us, “You brought us to Jesus and taught us how to win others to Christ. So, we do this gladly for these girls”. 

Wow, what a blessing those doctors, specialists and support medical staff were to those girls!

This testimony illustrates about God that:

1. God can protect and provide for even young refugees from a war zone.
2. God’s Christian workers can remain faithful over many years.
3. God’s Christian children can receive specialised help even when removed far from their homeland.
4. God’s children can network for the enduring benefit of refugees.

**How is Dave, in his late seventies, bearing up with all that is needed of him? These comments to me open a window of understanding:

Hi Ivan,

These last three months – going to bed at 1 or 2 am and waking up to urgent texts to meet huge needs like buying another 10-seater van to get orphans out of Ukraine of money for visa and passports that have never existed.  Then finding funds to send to Germany of Moldova to buy van loads of food and medicines to take back to the poor bombed out Kherson. Then decisions to make (right now) about moving 300 kids to Norway because the German refugee system is failing (they have too many refuges for the economy). Then there are 9 x 17 year olds who have to stay in Germany to finish year 12 (Matric) in June, and then move to Norway. Finding a flat for them is being sought out at present….has been amazingly busy with about 5 hours sleep a night for most of the last few months.

Subject: God ‘s Salvation involving His voice and music

Paul Cruice’s Testimony, Australia

I seldom tell this story of my “born from above” experience after one person said to me: Who do you think you are that the Lord would speak to you.

I was the eldest of four children, raised on a farm by my devout Catholic parents. I did all the Catholic things. Infant baptism, Confession, Confirmation, altar boy and even played at saying Mass with my brother and two sisters. However, as a Catholic, all I ever learned was their catechism.

I eventually went to University in Armidale to pursue a Rural Science degree so I could go back on the farm, and like all students got involved in discussions on religion. Slowly but surely I had to let go of my Catholicism as I had no spiritual base for my Catechetic Catholicism. And so I dumped my Catholicism. Actually, with hind sight now, I would say God actually thrashed it out of me. He did a good job and I thank Him for it.

I came away from University believing in a Supreme Being but Christ was not on the scene.

I came back to the farm to eventually take over its running when Mum and Dad retired to Toowoomba. After about 5 years, I felt to go back to church and went to two Catholic Church Masses in Pittsworth. I heard two political sermons and said this was not for me.

After about 8 years on the farm, we had huge floods which came down the Condamine River in 1975 ( one foot above 1955-56 level) and again two feet higher in 1976. It wiped out 23 miles of fencing and my Dad was so disheartened all he could do was think of selling the place.

In the meantime, I learnt to fly and with my Private Licence flew my Mum to my sister’s place in Hervey Bay. My sister was one of these “born again” Christians and as we sat one day discussing some of the core life principles I had developed at Uni, my sister would open the Bible and say “Paul, read this”. This happened several times and I was astounded that some of my core principles were in this Book!

While in Hervey Bay, I decide to go along to the Maryborough Christian Outreach Church with my sister on Sunday, and had an initial experience which I have never told anyone till this letter. As I walked up the stairs of the church I heard the most beautiful music. I thought it was coming from inside the church, but when I got to the top of the stairs I discovered there was no music playing in the church. This was the first of my weird experiences.

After flying home to Toowoomba (the property had been sold and we — my wife and I with one child — went to live in Toowoomba) I bought a KJV Bible and read it from cover to cover. I didn’t understand much but came away with one over-riding thought, obey this God.

I decided to go to the Christian Outreach Church in Toowoomba, because that was the church my sister was going to. I sat up the back and over many Sundays, heard words which answered some of life’s questions. I don’t know how many Sundays had passed but one Sunday I heard a voice from behind me or so it seemed. I turned around to see who spoke to me but there was no one there. The words spoken to me were: Paul, I want control of the whole of your life. This was my second weird experience. I pretty much discounted it and thought: That won’t happen again, but…

Next Sunday, the same words, the same voice.

And so it went on, Sunday after Sunday.

I had come to realise that it was the Lord speaking to me and so I began to bargain with Him. Lord, I give you 51% thinking that He would be happy with that, as it was a controlling interest.

But next Sunday the same words in the same voice.

Over time I edged my % higher till I got to 96% (why 96% – I have no idea) saying at the time: “Lord, but I want a little bit for myself.”

God was not satisfied with less than 100% of my life. The next Sunday, the same words.

The following Sunday in absolute frustration I said: All right, Lord, the whole of my life.

In an instant my whole life changed in a way I could not have imagined. I received a Love for The Truth that was overwhelming and has lasted to this day. I could not put His Book down. I had thinking sovereignly taken away from me and I was given a joy that could only be described as sublime. Church members commented on my aura, if I can call it that, but I couldn’t see it in a mirror.

And so began my Life with the Lord God Almighty. I started with a clean slate setting aside all I had ever been taught.

All this, however, was only the beginning.

The rest is another story for another time which has culminated in the translation of the Greek New Testament into English — my sole purpose being to put in English what is actually in the Greek. This translation in interlinear format can be found on https://the-logos.net/ along with many corrections to our English translations and some teaching, some of which will upset some readers.

Today, people ask me: “So you believe there is an Almighty God?”

And I answer: “No, I no longer believe there is an Almighty God, I KNOW there is an Almighty God and I KNOW He has a Son whose English name is Joshua, but in Hebrew is Yehoshua, often shortened to Yeshua, but most know Him by his name in the Greek Ιησους usually pronounced, Jesus. 

What Paul’s Testimony illustrates about God:

1. God has made us all different and loves us that way.
2. God has special ways to reach us personally because of our differences – there is no recipe system.
3. God wants 100% of our love and lives – even 96% is insufficient.
4. God’s path for each of us is also individual – we see that in scripture, but our tendency is to want to put all Christians in the same mold.
5. God loves music. Many NDErs describe the wonderful music they heard in Paradise before returning to earth.
6. God always wants us prayerfully to take scripture seriously. Where we don’t understand something, we have the author (the Holy Spirit) to guide us into what He wants us to take away from what we read. Not surprisingly, He made us all different and we are in different circumstances, so what we actually learn from a particular passage may also be individualised.

Subject: Dr. Chet Weld and More about God’s Music

Excerpts from psychologist Dr Chet Weld’s outstanding book rich in testimonies “God Is In The Crazy”. Highly recommended!

I remember something that occurred while I was singing and playing a song of mine after preaching. I had felt led to do this song because it dovetailed perfectly with my message. Because I hadn’t sung to the congregation in a few years, I began rather tentatively. At the end of my message in the first service, something unusual happened. As I picked up my guitar and started to sing, I heard stringed instruments playing in the background. They nicely complemented my guitar, and my confidence quickly grew. I wanted to turn my head to see if the music director was playing the synthesizer, but I couldn’t do that and still sing into the mike. So, I decided to enjoy playing with the great backup and ask him about it later. But he told me that no musicians were on the platform and that he had not been playing along with me either! I heard no instrumental accompaniment in the second service, but I didn’t need a confidence booster by then!

I submitted an account of that incident to a magazine that features stories of Heavenly interventions, and I was actually blessed by their letter of rejection! On the form letter was a checklist to explain rejections. The box that was checked for my rejection said, “We get a lot of stories like this.” Of course they do! What was I thinking?

Another music-related incident occurred after “Chet and Dennis” (Dennis Lee was my musical partner for about six years) played to a small audience in Tubac, Arizona, on a Sunday night. A woman came up to me and said that while we performed, her mouth was completely healed of a serious abscess. Only God could have done that!

About that same time, more than twenty years ago, I frequently led worship at our church. Recently, my wife and I had lunch with Andy and Jennifer Cole, two close friends who were active then in the church.

During our visit, Andy shared a story he’d never told Susan and me. He said that when I was leading worship on a Sunday night, it was obvious that I’d come to the end of my musical segment. But I continued to lead spontaneous singing—which wasn’t unusual in a charismatic church like this. Somehow, Andy said, he was hearing incredible music, even more beautiful than the rest of us were hearing as we sang and played. Andy whispered something about this to a mutual friend next to him, saying the music was wonderful. It was as if “a waterfall of refreshment poured through me,” Andy said. “I realized that I was hearing an angel choir.” Andy continued, “It was as if a door opened and allowed me to hear a choir of angels—and then it closed.” Once he fully grasped what he was hearing, the Heavenly music didn’t linger. But I’ve heard and read of many people hearing Heavenly music that wasn’t heard by others. Whether one gets a quick glimpse of paradise or hears Heavenly music, such sights and sounds are enthralling and indescribable and leave a lingering sense of what’s on the Other Side.

What Dr Chet’s Testimony illustrates about God:

1. God’s amazing creativity includes music.
2. God can open supernatural experiences selectively, as in the woman healed spontaneously and also that not everyone apparently heard the heavenly music.
3. God’s music, apparently, is wonderful and totally refreshing.

Subject: God’s incredibly detailed provision

 Sarah Biggs missionary family returning to Australia 

Upon returning to Australia after 12 years working as cross-cultural missionaries in the Philippines, the reverse culture shock was at times debilitating, especially for Ethan and our other children.

Ethan desperately wanted to have a dog. He was very specific about what he wanted and at the time there was no possibility this could be achieved financially. For me, as his Mum, this was disheartening and frustrating because I could see how much benefit a pet dog could have for Ethan.

Ethan requested a friend; someone he could hug and hang out with when he felt sad. He wanted a male Golden Retriever and the only advice I could give was to pray because financially this would require a miracle.

Having learnt this lesson many times before, I gave Ethan the advice to be very specific when he prayed. The dog would need to cost nothing for the first six months – no registration, vet fees, or even food!

If God was going to do a miracle for my son, it was going to have to be a full-size miracle!!

Three days later we attended a home-schooling co-op day and a lunch. I sat with a lady I barely knew. She mentioned she was looking for someone to “foster” a dog from her breeding program – Banjo was a male Golden Retriever and needed a home with a loving family! She would pay his vet fees, registration and six months of food also!

That afternoon we drove to her house and met Banjo.

Even as I write this I can barely control my tears as I recall with utter amazement how not only did God answer my son’s specific prayers, but how loved and cared for Ethan felt at the time.

Banjo is still part of our family today and his gentle nature and goofy smile still warms my heart.

Sarah’s testimony illustrates about God:

1. God loves our children and knows their needs.
2. God hears the prayers of young children.
3. God likes specific prayers.
4. God knows the importance of the bond between pets and owners.

Subject: Prayer and broken families

Jill, now in Queensland, and Her Beloved Stepfather (names changed by request).

Jill’s father walked out on his family and took little further interest in his two girls. Jill found herself in boarding school age 8. There was little money in the home and Jill mainly went to Mum only for the long holidays, but every Saturday in the boarding house she was required to write letters to both father and mother. Somehow, she believed God loved her and this sustained her during this often disappointing and even miserable time. She prayed for her family.

Her mother remarried a gentle and caring man. Jill found in him the father she needed. He was super to her and her sister and she quickly grew to love him.

Years later, when she and her husband John were living in Malawi, Jill was told that her step-father was very ill. Jill, John and young family were unable to simply up stakes and return to stepfather’s side for long, but Jill kept in prayer. A major concern was that her beloved stepfather showed little interest in God, but was now facing eternity.

A series of unexpected things happened. The first was that one of Jill’s friends in a Christian group in Malawi told her friend, Mrs Henderson in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) about the sick stepfather. Mrs Henderson was actually a keen and prayerful church member in Salisbury (now Harare) and contacted Jill’s mum and asked if she could visit her sick husband. He refused to see her. She tried again several times, but each time the stepfather refused. Mrs Henderson did not give up but kept asking until the stepfather said: “Tell her she can come around. It may be the only way to get rid of her.”

To his surprise, Mrs Henderson’s visit was both pleasant and comforting. It was the first of a whole series of visits and conversations. In his last few days on earth, he was asked how he felt and replied “I am at peace. I know where I am going”. Soon afterwards, he passed away very peacefully.

Mrs Henderson was a new convert during her time of ministry to the dying husband. She had converted to Christianity after watching while terrorists raped her daughter.

Jill’s Mum was impressed by the peace and confidence with which her husband had faced death. She began attending a church group and some months later stood up and said “I have a Saviour”.

Jill’s prayers for her Mum and stepfather were at last answered!

What Jill’s testimony illustrates about God:

1. God hears the prayer of children.
2. God can arrange circumstances and people in order to answer prayer – in His own time and way.
3. God likes His people to be determined and not to give up easily once they start ministering to someone’s need.
4. God sometimes apparently takes years to answer a prayer, but can be arranging circumstances in the background to bring a prayer to fruition. He does not seem to act against our will; consequently, changing the circumstances to bring our will into line may take years. Tragically, some people will not change and respond to God regardless of what new situations they are presented with.

Subject: Migrant Stress and God’s Support

Ivan Comments: this is an emotional/psychological response that can happen to varying degrees to new migrants to Australia – or anywhere. Not all new migrants experience it, and in no way is it linked to ingratitude in being accepted by a new country. Research indicates it happens more frequently to women and that it fades in time, but can linger for some years in extreme cases. Brenda left Zimbabwe and went to the UK.

Brenda Naisbitt (nee Müller) in U.K. when a new migrant

When we emigrate, we see the move as ONE Big change. But in reality, it is multi-faceted! It has many unexpected sides and angles – for which we are not prepared. 

There are many challenges to face, including challenges to our values.

The inner freedom I felt back ‘home’ was being squashed by new external pressures, mostly rules.And they made me afraid. Plus, a whole new set of dangers. I felt like a fish out of water.  

Children have always been special to me and an important part of my life. Since my teen years, wherever I lived, I had worked among them, joyfully and with confidence. Little did I know to what extent that would be shaken and the depth to which my heart would be grieved.

Outside of the welcoming little fellowship we joined locally when we first moved here, I found myself, for the first time in my life (in my late 30s) being mistrusted around children. Interactions with pure intent were frowned upon and met with suspicion. My affectionate, caring nature misunderstood. When I reached out to stop a child from falling, at an indoor play-centre, I was told “Don’t Touch them!” 

While assisting in my daughter’s nursery class with activities (painting etc), if I went to comfort a child who was upset, the teacher would intercept. She did not allow me on the playground at breaktime – I had to stay in the classroom, on my own. 

 I found professionals arrogantly aloof, and children not open-hearted and quite disrespectful. This was all strange to me!

 I was afraid of raising my own child and trying to protect her in this foreign-to-me environment – where I myself felt insecure. Even while she was a toddler, I found myself trying to shield her eyes from inappropriate magazine covers on the news-stand as we entered a shop.

These little incidentals quickly mounted up. It felt like everything was on top of me. But I had to keep going, through day-to-day life, just trying to keep my head above water (and no one but God could see below the surface how desperately hard I was treading water, trying to find my feet). 

These things were going undealt with, inside of me, and I was becoming exhausted. 

I felt restricted in disciplining my own child the way I knew was best. This led to frustration and a personal sense that I was failing as a parent. Being a good mother had always been my life’s greatest goal.

My child and I did not have her grandparents nearby, whose input (for her) and as a refuge of support for me, I would have so welcomed! Instead, living now far away, I was being judged by others who now surrounded my life, and didn’t even know me. That was on top of being indescribably homesick… for years.

My only hope was in continually coming to God with my worries, my lack, and my heartache; asking for His mercy for my failings, and for his all-sufficient grace to cover every aspect of our lives in this new place.

When I was very low, He faithfully reassured me from Psalm 139: 

“Though I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” He surely has stilled my every storm (Psalm 107). Even the tempest of migration stress has proved temporal!

I am grateful to Him for His support, and also for how well our daughter has turned out! I know how very weak I was (in what I would previously have considered to be my strengths!). Her successful development was not because of my own efforts nor my own capabilities. God saw fit to disable what strengths I thought were mine, so that I might learn to live in dependence upon His mighty power within. 

His gifting in me was no less valuable just because it was unrecognised by people. His goodness (to mankind, in all He has made) is being disregarded by society all the time. 

What Brenda’s testimony illustrates about God:

1.    God communicates with us through scripture. Biblical examples became very precious to me towards the end of my “migrant storm ‘, and ever since: “Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken,” as David proclaimed in Psalm 16. 
2.     God can help and keep us especially when things are tough and the road ahead is not clear.
3.     God covered my worry and my lack, by my asking for His mercy for my failings. His all-sufficient grace covered every aspect of our new lives.
4.    God saw fit to disable what strengths I thought were mine, so that I might learn to live in reliance upon His mighty power within. And that the praise and honour would go to the only one to whom it belongs! So, now, thankfully, I am unable to pride myself in how well our daughter has turned out! Because I know how very weak I was (in what I would previously have considered to be my strengths!). Her character and achievements are not because of my own efforts nor my own capabilities. 
5.    God’s giftings in me were not any less valuable just because they were unrecognised by people in our new land. After all, His goodness (to mankind, in all He has made) is being disregarded all the time.
6.    God continues to teach me about my time of migrant stress trauma. For example, God instructs us in Colossians 3:15 to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts”.  For us as stressed migrants, this is vital.
7.    Whatever God allows us to go through, is necessary. And with it, He has a purpose far greater! Even though we can’t see it at the time, let it be enough for us to know there is one, for which it will all be worthwhile!

You will find more that is helpful on this topic at: https://youtu.be/Qjap0ZitIEk and https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20107&version=AMP

Subject: God’s Support in our Working Lives.

Dave Adams, author, Queensland Australia

Tragedy is usually associated with sickness or a terrible accident, in our case God’s presence and intervention has to do with money.

I was offered a position managing a Tyre Service in South Brisbane; I initially rejected the offer. However, the owner then offered me the opportunity to purchase after twelve months if I so desired. I accepted. God blessed my work and I was very successful in this role.

Six months later the owner came to me and said he would be happy to sell the business now. Knowing everything about the business and personally owning the customer ‘good will’ we jumped at it. We were young and not wealthy at all – we attempted to raise the finances and the amount fell short of the asking price. The Tyre Service owner said he would carry the balance, so we started off behind the ball in any case.

Six months later and EXPO 88 was announced, the entire site was located between our building and the Brisbane River. Immediately, rumours flew around about resumptions and eviction of tenants with compensation being paid only to the land/building owners. This was a two-fold tragedy to our young family. Firstly, seventy percent of our sales came from the other local businesses, the majority of which abandoned the area as they believed that they would receive no compensation. Secondly, we received an eviction notice.

We had borrowed all we could and now between a near instant decline in sales and the impending loss of our very premises, we were set to lose our home as well!! There were times that our fridge was empty; the life of our young family was in turmoil!!

    Now, for the sake of brevity, I will summarise the next few months:

1. My income was so low I couldn’t pay suppliers and I refused to make promises about making a payment that I knew I’d never keep. (This integrity later stood me in such good stead resulting in a high credit rating, because I had paid everyone fully, that suppliers supported our other businesses.)
2. During the problems I dreaded the phone ringing, which is not a good sales mind set.
3. I was close to breaking point and showing it in so many ways.

GOD STEPPED IN

1. The Deputy Premier Sir Llew Edwards called a meeting of local businesses.
2. He introduced a Lawyer who specialised in such compensation matters.
3. The lawyer negotiated and achieved my receiving three and half times what I had paid for the Tyre Service!!!
4. I retained all the equipment and fittings, which enabled me to open a new Tyre Service two years later without having to buy equipment.
5. The Dunlop Representative informed me that there was a tyre service for sale elsewhere and that the owner was open to leaving his stock on consignment – a huge bonus as I only had to pay for it as I sold it. 

Dave’ testimony illustrates about God that:

1. God, after the stress and pressure we experienced, intervened and blessed us several times over. This resulted in our owning and later selling two successful Tyre Services.
2. God may not get involved when we are first struck by tragedy; however, His timing is always perfect. In our case He carried us through the desert, He provided gifted people to assist us as we needed them, and He restored several times what was taken from us.

Subject: God’s Perfect provision and perfect timing.

Maria Onions in Figtree Retirement Village Queensland

Just two instances of God finding people who provided things I wanted.

I was quite unwell for some time and could not drive myself to the shops and said “Oh Lord, I really would like to send some meaningful Christian Christmas cards to some elderly friends! I find this so frustrating”.

Next day, as I was collecting my mail at our mail room in my village, another lady was putting cards in her friends’ mailboxes. As I entered she said “you may like these, this is not my thing”, and she then handed me a packet of Christmas cards. When I looked closely they were beautiful 

Christian cards just what I would have chosen! Thank you, Lord! The next story. When we moved from Toowoomba into Figtree Village our pine hutch was too big to fit into our new home, so I decided to do without it.

However, over the years I needed some place to put some crockery as it became a nuisance to store it in the passage linen cupboard. I started looking and searching for a small hutch, but it proved difficult to find what I wanted.

Being in a retirement village, there is a notice board where I occasionally look to see what is happening, and this day there was a picture of the exact small hutch that I was looking for! It was being given away.

I phoned the number given and my generous fellow resident was very happy for me to collect it sooner rather than later. Two able grandsons carried it across for me and everybody was happy.

My neighbour uses a wheelchair and the hutch was in the way.

Thank you, Lord. Your timing is always perfect!

              Maria’s testimony shows that:

1. God knows our needs and wants.
2. God can provide things we want even when we cannot locate or find them ourselves.
3. God can provide generous people to help when we are unable to drive.
4. God’s timing is perfect.

Subject: God can rescue us in dangerous situations

Eric van der Westhuizen in Girraween National Park, Queensland, Australia.

On this particular day (14 March 2023) five of us travelled in my car from our rented cottage in Stanthorpe, determined to get to the top of the Pyramid in the Granite Region some 30kms south of Stanthorpe.

This proved to be much more of a challenge for us geriatrics than what we expected and two of the group decided to call a halt halfway up this very steep granite outcrop. Three of us continued.

My two companions were seasoned mountain climbers and wore the appropriate gear for such an excursion, whereas I had on a pair of plimsolls which had been worn thin as a result of my many walks on pavements in our neighbourhood.

Close to the top and following the painted footprints on the rock, my two friends had little difficulty in negotiating a wet and slippery part of the track. I followed, but suddenly found my feet sliding from under me. I thought that this would be my last day alive as it was now a steep and slippery way down the slope followed by a vertical cliff to the ground far below.

As I slid towards the vertical cliff and likely fatal fall, all I thought of doing was to reach out to my side and hope for the best. I was relieved when my hand found a tuft of sturdy shrub – the only piece of vegetation I could see on the vast granite rock.

Holding tight ono the shrub. I managed to turn onto my bottom, and then slowly and painfully slide to a drier area and safety.

On my way back down, I met up with a group of school pupils and their three teachers who were coming up the mountain. I warned them about the wet patch as it could cause a major disaster for the teachers and the school if any of those pupils were to slip and fall down the slope. I saw one of the teachers later in the day and she told me that they thankfully found and took a different way up to the top.

In retrospect, I realized that not only had the Lord saved me but also used my experience to save others from a potential disaster.

Eric’s testimony illustrates that:

1. God is able to save us in dangerous situations, even if wearing inappropriate gear has contributed to the danger we find ourselves in.
2. God can use our painful experiences to guide others.
3. God is always aware of where we are and what we are doing.

Subject: God’s ministers in poor nations

Malawian Bush Pastors

Ivan Comments. 

Malawian Africans on the whole are a super and industrious people. They are fun to be with, despite Malawi being the third poorest nation on earth. Their generally happy demeanour speaks volumes for the extensive Christian missionary work that has taken place there since the first missionary, David Livingstone, attempted to stop the awful Arab slave trade that was devastating the Africans in the north of the country, while black on black slave trading was also spreading fear in the south of the country. Livingstone’s influence was honoured by Blantyre being named after his birthplace, which is today the largest city in the nation – and Blantyre has a population approaching 2 million. Malawian Christian pastors are generally respected by the populace and I asked Gill, a white Malawi-born Australian who launched a tiny Christian work in Malawi titled ‘Eagle Wings’, to supply me with some statements by some of her bush pastors, who also serve as foster parents to some abandoned children there. Here are 4 statements for our interest:

Pastor Hassan Stambuli

Hello greetings my name is Pastor Hassan Stambuli. I live in Lilongwe. 
I was in prison for stealing from my work. 
I had no chance of a fair court case or being released as I couldn’t afford a lawyer. 

One day a pastor came and shared about a man called Jesus. I’m a Muslim so I just thought this was rubbish as I believed in the doctrine of faith of Muslims. 

But when I started to read the Bible my eyes were open. 
After praying I was suddenly released from the prison in Lilongwe. 
I went on to be ordained as a Baptist Pastor with support from Eagle Wings ministry – I married and had 3 kids. But the last-born Hannah she was problems. My wife Flocy had to have a blood transfusion. 
I lost my wife Flocy to aids after Hannah’s birth. 
Hannah my youngest daughter is on HIV treatment. 
I praise God everyday as my kids grow – Hassan Junior – and Trinity and Hannah are my two daughters. 
I walk long distance to preach in the Lilongwe prison where I was saved. 

Footnotes from Gill:
I went to pastor Hassan’s House and Church. I loved this Brother in Christ; he had the Holy Spirit in him. I hugged his kids. Sadly, Pastor Hassan became ill and died of HIV, leaving his 3 kids orphans. We at Eagle wings look after them with an adopted home mother. 

May 2023 report From Pastor Rooservelt. 

Leading our way are Navigators (an interdenominational Christian support ministry) with Dr Michael Youseff sermons. And NT (Bible New Testament) In English. 

Eish (colloquial exclamation of surprise) took almost 35 minutes hearing the message from Dr Michael. Eishiii (more surprise), this man powerful messages.  Hope he will change Ana’s life – changed many lives of people.

I also shared Navigators with this man (another pastor) last week so I was reminding him so that at the end of this month he will come back to get this Navigators back to me. So, he said ‘please pastor ROOSEVELT what if u add another 2 months, so that I also learn and share the message to my church.’

June 2023 report from Pastor Steven at Mzuzu

The boy is Sandra Khumbo. He is 19years and has believed and converted through Dr Michael Youssef message, having covered John 3vs16, Matt

24vs36, John1vs12.  Now he delights in God’s Grace. He was unruly, smoked and drunk madly and was trouble. He was known for snatching cellphones from people and he joined to be trained by a notorious group.

The group village head directed me, pastor Steven. to him – so, after daily meeting him and with a lot of his curiosity with the Navigators, he developed and is coming to us and now he is a convert – and no longer stealing and drinking.

From Pastor Steven and his wife, Pastor Kestina, in Mzuzu 

A woman is Lonely Kaira, aged 56, who was among the first beneficiaries Eish (colloquial exclamation of surprise) who at first was almost one of the most lost persons. She did abortion twice before she temporarily got married to a barman in 1989, a marriage that did not last long and she began beer brewing till this last month when I found her at her house. 

Pastor Kestina, my wife and I requested her to listen the Navigators (from Leading the Way) so we spent an hour together. We did Romans 1to 6. This we call The Roman Road. Lonely confessed Christ and she is a convert from the book, and also she listens to Dr Michaels Youssef preaching daily.

She is a new believer. Her life has turned around. 

Subject: God’s supporting the chiidren of missionaries.

Ken and Esther Herschell when on mission in Guinea, Africa

Ivan Comments: MKs or “missionary kids” often struggle to find their place in western society after happy childhoods in various locations on the mission field, especially if their parents are remaining on mission. Ken and Esther’s daughter, Robyn, had particular difficulty settling into life in England and then later in Australia, and she drifted into horrendous depression. Ken takes up the account. 

Robyn would ring us, crying over the phone as she suffered through horrendous depression, the after-result of her time in England. We would have loved to have her come to us in Guinea, but this would not have been the best solution.

During her stay in Adelaide (with family), Robyn had written to us to ask if she could come and stay as things had not improved. She cried daily and felt that being near her parents would be more bearable.

Esther was really concerned and prayed long and hard about how this could happen. She asked God to supply the money needed for the fare to bring Robbie to Pita if that was His will. (She also considered flying herself to Robbie).

One day the Lord said to Esther as she was praying “wait”.

The next time Robyn rang from Australia, she said “Don’t come, Mum. I think the Lord is telling me to “wait”. What a confirmation that was for Esther!

Eventually a Christian Psychiatrist who had been a missionary himself changed her medication. She was soon feeling much better.

Eventually she moved to multicultural Sydney and loved it. One of the reasons Robbie loved Sydney was because she worked as an ESL teacher in a primary school where eighty percent of the students had been born overseas. Having shared experiences assisted her in a feeling of belonging and being able to help students adjust to a very different culture.

I was there when she met Ben Clark and they married in 1998.

Ivan again – Robyn has been free of depression now for many years. She is a fine teacher – I have heard her giving an excellent talk.

This Ken and Esther testimony illustrates:

1. God can defeat depression.
2. God is concerned for our children even when we are separated by distance. He can care for them when we can’t.
3. God can expect us to “wait” because He has a better plan than what we have.
4. God can reduce emotional trauma medically.
5. God can use our previous experiences to help others who are also entering a new environment.

Subject: God supporting overseas missionaries

Ken and Esther in Pita, Guinea, Africa

The old Mayor, El Hjs Lamarana Rah, who helped us rent our house in pita was actually qa very hostile member of the Islamic League. He would walk through through the town at night using hide pwyt beads while fmiuttering the evening prayers. he threatened our guard, Ibrahim Diallo, saying he would chase him from there town if he became a Christian. We prayed often for the Lord to bind his influence upon Pita. 

He was soon voted out and a new mayor installed.

Mayor El Haj Cheik Bah was a different kettle of fish altogether. He would come to our house and argue with us in a friendly way concerning th Gospel. He had sent his son to Nigeria to a Catholic boarding school and so he understood some of our Christian beliefs. We tried to present Jesus as the only Saviour from sin, giving us eternal life.  Muslims have no assurance of eternal salvation – it is all “Incha Milah” = “if Allah wills it”. So Cheik Bah would call us “the people who go straight to heaven when they die” when introducing us to someone new …. I believe we will see Cheik Bah in glory.

Ken and a baby son for Ahmed, who was painting their house in Pita

Ahmed said that the local village leaders, and his parents, wanted him to divorce his wife because he had been married for ten years and they had no children. In their concept of marriage, if the wife does not produce children then you must get another. Ahmed said, “I love my wife and don’t want to send her away.”

I felt sincerely for this young man and told him that after he’d finished painting that day, I would pray for him. He lived out in a village some distance from Pita. I prayed a simple prayer asking God to intervene for him. 

i visited his village and his hut, which had walls surrounded with large pornographic pictures. I told Ahmed to get rid of these wicked things or God could not bless him.

About one year later there was a knock on our door about 8 at night. This was unusual. Here was Ahmed, all excited. He said, “Baaba Kennet, my wife is at the hospital with a new young son and she won’t put him down, even to rest.” He waa nearly jumping out of his skin with sheer delight. He asked if I would come to the baby-naming ceremony in his village and dedicate this young boy with the name of Musa (Moses).

That week I drove out to this village, not knowing what to expect. After a meal they asked me to name the child.

I prayed openly in this village, naming him Musa in the name of Jesus. 

I gave Ahmed a bible in French and he began attending the meetings in our gazebo on Sunday mornings. He would walk many kilometres to be there. Sadly, he lapsed back into his old habits of drinking and we lost touch. I do nevertheless trust that Ahmed, and Musa and his mother will be in the Kingdom of God.

YWAM Teams come to Pita

The first team was a completely African team from the capital, Conakry. They would hold an outreach in the main street of Pita each evening where the national highway cuts through the town. With their African skits and public testimony, they drew an immense crowd, which they held enthralled. Their gospel messages were short, clear and well received. The Gospel is the power of God resulting in salvation for those who embrace it – and the wisdom of God – for which there is no substitute. The crowd grew to such a size that the huge trucks going through had to sound their horns to make the crowd part while they passed.

Later we had outreach teams come from the YWAM Mercy Ship, the Anastasas, which docked at Conakry for five months. They were great, especially a young pastor’s daughter from Poland who walked around the busy Pita market with her violin and fluorescent paint on her face, collecting the young people to come and hear her preach the Gospel with a puppet. She was amazingly gifted by God for outreach.

Ken and Esther’ testimonies illustrate:

1. God hears heartsore pleadings and prayer by and for couples wanting children – Sarah and Elizabeth are examples in the bible.
2. God often uses outreach teams effectively that are drawn from local Christians, perhaps because cultural knowledge and understanding facilitates meaningful communication.
3. God’s young people have their own culture and younger listeners can often relate well with other youngsters.
4. Christen ministry to local sick people develops credibility for the gospel, such as the YWAM mercy ship did.

Subject:   – God can comfort us using dreams

Raewyn Moore, now in South Africa 

ivan Comments

The Moore family were originally from NZ, and I wrote about their amazing leading to Africa in Topic 10. 

Raewyn writes:  A few weeks ago I had a very vivid dream (the last one was in 1981!)

There was a black gate which was wrenched off its hinges. The soil was dark black and the track went downhill and off into the distance. 

I asked the Lord what it meant and I said it was either someone or something that either çame in or went out. I then realised that the spirit of oppression, that had been hanging over me for ages, was gone. Amazing 🙌🙌🙌

I am so grateful to God and truly amazed that He did this for me. Praise His Holy Name!!!!

Raewyn’s testimony illustrates:

1. God can use dreams in our lives to illustrate what He is doing.
2. God can defeat the spiritual oppression that Satan can send to us, and set us free!