Helen
There is an air of diffidence and serenity about Helen that is very intriguing. On the one hand, she is gentle and soft-spoken; on the other hand, she has a tenacious faith and inner strength. This speaks volumes about her walk with God. The Lord causes everything, even the most distressful experiences, to work for the good of His children. Through her personal trial of faith, the words of Proverbs 3:5, 6 have come to mean a lot to Helen: TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT YOUR PATHS. “Whenever things got too hard,” she said, “I just prayed and trusted God.” Appropriately, she is the Prayer-Chain Coordinator for GRACE MB Church.
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Helen was born in Winkler, Manitoba, June 2, 1934, into the Mennonite Christian home of Herman & Maria. She was their 10th and last child. Her father was a professional photographer. “It’s wonderful to be in a big family,” she says.
Herman and Maria trained their children in godly ways. Helen remembers how she knelt in her crib as a two-year old while mother prayed with her. Church and Sunday School were very important to them. “We used to walk over a mile to church,” she remembers (they didn’t own a car at that time). “When I was five years old my Sunday School teacher, Nettie K., prayed with me and I accepted Jesus. I don’t remember the lesson, but I do remember that she prayed with me and I accepted Jesus as my Saviour.” It was an earnest commitment. Soon after that Helen persuaded a visiting friend to kneel with her on the board-walk in the back yard. Then she helped that little girl pray for salvation, too. Those were happy growing-up years. Helen especially enjoyed singing in the Junior Girls Choir as a 10-year old. (In September, 2002, she traveled to Winkler to enjoy that Choir's Reunion, and to meet old friends again.)
In 1946 the family packed their belongings onto a train and moved to beautiful British Columbia, to Greendale in the Fraser Valley. Her Dad would have a small photography studio apart from the house. The journey was memorable for 12-year old Helen. (Two older brothers had gone on ahead to make preparations.) How exciting to think about their new home in BC – mild winters – their own farm – raspberries – strawberries. At last they reached their destination. Then, no sooner had they arrived, than they were out in the raspberry patch, picking berries. After all, it was July 10th – raspberry season.
Helen was baptized at 16 by Pastor Henry Dyck and joined the Greendale MB Church. Later, after completing Grade 10 at High School, she enrolled at the MB Bible School in South Abbotsford (the future Columbia Bible College), which she attended for one year.
Then, like many other young people from the farming communities of the Fraser Valley, Helen headed to the big city of Vancouver to find employment. Jobs were plentiful. First she worked at a large department store; but then found a better job at a meat packing plant. During this time she kept her church membership at Greendale MB church, traveling home by bus most weekends. One time, while waiting in the line-up at the Vancouver bus station, a young man caught her attention. Soon he was speaking to her, asking if he could sit with her on the bus. “I wasn’t sure at first,” said Helen, “but then I thought, ‘I guess it won’t hurt.’ Art, a young Lutheran fellow, was on his way home for the weekend to see his parents in Aldergrove. He worked at a Research Station in Victoria. “And then he asked me for a date . . . ”
Helen & Art were married on May 13, 1955 in the Greendale Church by Pastor Henry Dyck. They honey-mooned in California, and made their first home at Aleza Lake Forest Experimental Station – about 15 miles from Prince George. For several years they spent summers in the forest and winters in Victoria. After about 5 years in Prince George they moved to Nelson in BC’s southern interior. Art enjoyed his work in forestry, constantly trying to upgrade his skills as a research scientist. “In 1964 he earned his Masters Degree in forestry,” said Helen proudly. From Nelson they moved to Burnaby, where he was hired by Burnaby Parks. He really enjoyed this job, and stayed with it for 20 years.
“We had four lovely children,” said Helen; “each one was special.” When she and Art were first married, she decided to join his Lutheran Church. “For the sake of the children,” she said. Later, in 1987, they both became members of Willingdon MB Church in Burnaby. They found singing and sharing in fellowship with the large church choir to be a special blessing. Things went along well for some time – Art enjoyed his work, Helen liked her job in New Westminster, the children were in university. But there were changes ahead. In 1988 Art was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The family rallied around to help. At a daughter’s suggestion they moved to Penticton in 1995, where Art was eventually admitted to the Extended Care Unit of the Penticton Regional Hospital.
“It was very hard at first,” said Helen. “But I couldn’t handle his condition at home. I know that it was very hard on Art, too. I used to pray a lot. I thought, ‘God will help us. This is God’s way for us, even though we don’t understand it. For some reason He has chosen for Art to have this disease.’ God did help us. The Lord was with us.” During this time Art and Helen transferred their membership to GRACE MB Church. He remained in Extended Care until he passed away on July 19, 2000.
“Something that really touched me when Art was in the hospital,” said Helen, “was that he asked me for forgiveness for any time he had ever hurt me. That really meant a lot to me.”
Helen loves to sing the old favourite hymn:
WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS;
ALL OUR SINS AND GRIEFS TO BEAR.
WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO CARRY
EVERYTHING TO GOD IN PRAYER.
May 2002
© 2002 SKM