大象传媒

When faced with call-up for military service in 1939 I decided, after consultation with others, that I would commit my way to the Lord and let Him decided where I should go, rather than be a conscientious objector, as some of my friends. So, although apprehensive, I was at peace, as I trusted God to keep me safe whatever lay ahead.
On my way to France in 1940 I called in a Church Army hut opposite our temporary billet in Southampton. The captain offered to write to my mother to give her news of me. Then he gave me a verse from the Bible, Isaiah 66:13 "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you, saith the LORD, and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem."
That verse mean a lot to my mother and myself during the next few months, though I ignored the last part as being irrelevant as I was not going to Palestine.
Five months later the Lord brought me safely through the Dunkirk evacuation. And a year after that He saw me safely evacuated from Greece and back in Egypt.
On leave in Cairo I was taken to the home of some Egyptian christians, the Constantines. One of the daughters decided that I should have two addresses in Palestine as she thought I would be going there, thought the possibility had not occured to me. She gave me the addresses of Mr. and Mrs. Cooper in Jerusalem and of Mr. and Mrs. Young in Haifa.
Four months later I was in Jerusalem, knocking on the Coopers' door, and received a very warm welcome. With other servicemen I went along there each week for Bible study and fellowship.
In January 1942 I received news that my mother had died. Given the day off by my C.O., I immediately made my way to Mr. and Mrs. Cooper's. In their home I was "comforted in Jerusalem" as the Lord had promised me two years earlier in Southampton. Their home was my home for the rest of my time in Palestine.
At the end of March 1942, I was transferred to Haifa and so made my way to Mr. and Mrs. Young. It was as if Vicky Constantine had accurately prophesied the way the army was going to push me around. I was to spend two and a half years there, and benefitted from the hospitality of the christian familes there, especially Mr. and Mrs. Kogut.
When I was due to leave Palestine to be repatriated to the U.K., Mr. Kogut, a Jewish christian whose wife was German, told me to write to him when I got to Germany. I replied that I had no intention of going to Germany. He insisted that I would be going there and that I should write and let him know, so that he could send me addresses of his sister, mother-in-law and other friends.
Nine months later I found myself in Germany as Mr. Kogut had predicted and, when I got his letter, found that I was only eighteen miles from his mother-in-law and even nearer to some of the friends whom he mentioned.
What joy I was able to bring to many of those folk when I brought them newd of their loved ones.
I had committed my way to the Lord and, through almost seven years of war, he had directed my path as He had promised. What is more, He had told me beforehand on three occasions where I would be going, though I did not realise it at the time.
Looking back, I could see that, although at times the Army was pushing me around, there was a higher authority in control.

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