A MAN READY TO FOLLOW

1926, Sunday School Times,

"God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him." ~Hudson Taylor

In the early 1930's, at the age of 12, Dad developed the sense that God had called him for a particular task and gave his life to the Lord.
He was convinced that God would have him be a missionary after reading a recruiting notice in the Sunday School Times, a paper that his father subscribed to.
Through out childhood Dad was deeply influenced by the week of missionary conventions held each year.

Listening to God's chosen servants deeply impressed him.  He was fascinated by the slide shows and descriptions of different cultures and people in need of the gospel.
Later on reminded of that recruiting notice, and clearly sensing what God would have him do with his life, he set his eyes on Mexico.

High School Year Book Photo

After graduating from high school in 1939 there were pressures to get a job and further education looked dim as WWII had brought about increased stress on a growing family.  The family had lost everything due to the depression.
As conditions improved, so did the encouragement from his family.  Buoyed by this, he began a three-year program at Simpson Bible School (Simpson University) in Seattle Washington.

Simpson Bible College, on Phinney Ridge in Seattle, 1940-1943

 Loneliness and separation from family, a prelude to future experiences transpired.
They were days of personal spiritual growth as well as learning how to work for Christ, a time of ministering at the Beacon Light Mission, in the heart of Seattle's Ghetto while attending classes.

The Beacon Light Mission, Yestler Way, Seattle, Wa., 1941

The experiences at the Mission proved to be invaluable as he was exposed to different cultures, poverty, and sin which further resolved his ambition to be a missionary, however, after his first year, he was having serious doubts about mission work.  There was the temptation to settle into some part time Christian work around home.  He would then be assured that no "I have called you to full-time work."
One summer while working on the family farm he decided that he would not go back to school.  He did not feel confident getting up in front of a group to speak and the speech classes terrified him.  He felt more at home with the visitation ministry and encouraging others.

Still bears that scar as a reminder of what might of been

As he was out working one day, he got the right index finger caught in the moving parts of a power take-off mower and almost lost it.
He took that as a sign to renew his vision for full-time ministry.

Loren at Camp on the Hood Canal in Poulsbo, Wa. 1943

Loren with the Sunday School on Yestler Way, Seattle

Each year, the weeks of missionary conventions at Simpson, bolstered by the privilege of hearing God's chosen missionaries had left a lasting impression on both, further challenging Dad to pursue this ministry. With encouragement from Pop and Mom and with the support of the entire family they set out that hot July summer day in 1948

After a period of time working for the American Sunday School Union in Montana and various camps, he spent time working on the family farm in Oregon

while courting my mother, betrothal date, October 5, 1946 and later married June 13, 1947.

JUNE 13, 1948, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.” I Cor.3:9

My mother wholeheartedly accepted the idea of working together on a foreign field and was ready to go with him, neither, comprehending the immensity of that decision, she a city girl and he a farmer boy.
The hardships while growing up shaped Dad's experiences.  He lived in an economically pressed family during the depression.  He built on the foundations of those hardships and passed some of them on to me.  They were committed to each other and committed to the adventures ahead with the theme of   I Cor. 3:9.
For other adventures from my mother's notebook read,  WHAT WERE THEY THINKING CLICK HERE


A WORK OF PROVIDENCE~CLICK HERE