Frederick Buechner in his book The Sacred Journey says that through the writing of his books he has developed “a sense of plot and, beyond that, a sense that perhaps life itself has a plot—that the events of our lives, random and witless as they generally seem, have a shape and direction of their own, are seeking to show us something, lead us somewhere. We are always free as in a way the characters in novels are also free—free to run away with the story .....free to be what they want to be no matter how hard the author may try to make them be something else—but in the midst of our freedom, we hear whispers from beyond time” (God).
I grew up living in Bassett Green, Southampton, England in “the prefabs”, homes built during and after WWII to house the many people bombed out of their homes. They were supposed to be temporary but ended up being used for a very long time. There were two Church of England churches, St. Michael’s & All Saints and St. Christopher’s, that sponsored a Sunday School in the little school/meeting hall in Bassett Green that my sister and I attended every Sunday even though my parents did not attend church. It was Miss. Elliott who introduced me to God, Jesus and God’s Word. She faithfully worked with us children all of my growing up years to 13. I particularly remember at 12 beginning to learn and memorize the answers to the Catechism – although like most 12 year olds I complained about memorizing, - it had the powerful affect of writing God’s Word on my heart. At 13, I along with others started confirmation classes with the minister of St. Christopher’s but was confirmed at St. Alban’s because we had to move from the prefabs and lived near that church. (We moved into a council house at 43 Woodcote Road very close to my Nanny and Granddad Eckett who lived at 22 Woodcote Road.) I remember it as a very special day.
It was through the catechism prep class that I attended a youth rally that also made a big impression on me. A minister spoke about swearing and how it makes you appear to others and how it would not give a good impression of a person who called himself or herself a Christian, this lesson has stuck with me all these years.
When my family immigrated to the United States, it was important to me to find a church to continue to belong to and I joined St. John’s Episcopal church and remained a member there until I moved to Grand Rapids after returning from the Peace Corp. It was important in helping me grow in my faith. The minister was helpful in answering my questions. I particularly remember a record he gave me to listen to when I had questions about the Bible’s version of the beginning of the world in Genesis and what I was learning in science at school (Darwinism). I listened to it many times and it helped me reconcile the two in a way that made sense to me. At St. John’s, I sung in the choir, helped teach Sunday School, and was introduced to the Charismatic movement via Dick and Sally Long after my return from Sierra Leone.
The most significant event in my development as a Christian came when I was in Sierra Leone in the Peace Corp. It was in the fall of 1974 in Port Loko. Life in Sierra Leone was very different and sometimes I would feel very lonely and very disconnected from God and everything that was important to me. One early morning, I was using the restroom in my house and felt very alone and isolated, particularly when the mosque across the street started chanting to call the people to prayer. Suddenly I heard someone call my name, I called out yes, even though I knew no one was around, my roommate was gone. I heard Jesus speak to me reassuring me that I was not alone and that He was with me wherever I was, even in this strange land. It was a profound experience, one that still is very emotional and one that I bring to mind whenever I am feeling very low. It was a gift – a very great gift.
I have felt God’s presence with me in a powerful way on one other occasion. It was when Stephen Brown drown, when his mother and I were having coffee at his grandparent’s house. It was an unbelievably devastating event to find a child in a pool and not be able to revive him. Word’s can’t adequately describe how you feel. However, despite this terrible tragedy I felt God’s presence with me, holding me up and helping me through.
As I look back at my life, I can see God’s hand guiding me in a number of ways:
- Having me live with Char for a short time in GR before all we girls moved into the house ministry on Lake Drive, which introduced me to your Dad.
- The job at Community Ed where I felt that I could make a difference, help the family’s finances and still be mostly home with you guys growing up.
- Going back to school to become a library media specialist and getting the job in Otsego which helped us be able to help you guys with college and improve our situation in terms of retirement.
- Letting me have the third child I desired despite Dad’s belief we should stick with two children, even overcoming 2 vasectomies.
- The opportunity to return to Sierra Leone.
- Even this year, as I must change to teaching science with just a short time to retirement, I have the feeling God has a special plan in mind.
- I now know that plan was retirement from paid work. However, I am still trying to discern where God wants me to use my talents.
- It has been a great struggle over the past year trying to discern where God wants me to use my talents. Slowly He has been showing me where He wants me to be. I am slowly feeling more settled as it seems He is asking me to trust Him for the future financially and to share my talents through volunteering with Kid’s Hope, World Renew, Allegan United Way, Holland Bread Team, The Bridge, and Third Church.
- Eventually God helped me pare down where to use my talents. For the past 5 years I have been the Kids Hope Director for Third Church which matches my talents very well. Mike has now been retired for two years and we have started volunteering with World Renew doing disaster relief. I continue to be involved in Bread for the World and serve on the Outreach Committee at Third.
