Mark
Long ago, in another time, in another place, in another language, Heinrich Von Dyck, a godly father, penned a prayerful letter to his children. “Dear children,” he wrote, “let us hope in God continually; let us resolve to trust Him and never turn from Him . . . O Lord, he who meets You in daily life will be blessed every moment of every hour. In the morning, he is refreshed; at noon, he is pure and full of heaven’s praise; at night, his sky is filled with starlight . . . Lord Jesus, guide us on life’s journey — remember us — keep us firmly trusting in You. Grant this according to Your mercy.” The gentle blessing of this ancestral prayer, preserved and treasured by succeeding generations, is part of the heritage of our own Mark Dyck.
Mark is the third child, and second son, of Rudy and Doreen who live in Keremeos — orchard country. His was a loving Christian home. From earliest memory he and his siblings were immersed in an atmosphere of faith, devotion and duty. “Our whole family was a Christian family,” he explained. “It was a way of life for us. We took it as an obvious fact that there is a God — that there is a plan of Salvation.” Their daily routine of prayer and Bible reading reinforced what was taught at church on Sundays.
When it was time for Mark to begin grade one, his parents decided to home-school their children. It would be a good way to instill godly principles into them. Several other families in the area did the same. “We had a school room in our house,” said Mark. “Mom would teach us English, and so forth; and Dad would often help us with Math.” Music, also, became an integral part of their education. Mark applied himself to his violin with rigor. He and his sister spent long hours practicing together, as she accompanied him on the piano. In recent years they have often blessed the Church Family with their music. “Sometimes when I play hymns,” he confided, “it’s a form of worship for me.”
Mark was a happy boy — fishing for trout in the creek that ran through their property — hunting for small game with his slingshot — motor-biking with his big brother — listening to Oppa’s stories. He developed a great love for the out-of-doors – mountain biking; playing soccer; hiking; racing. Times when his whole family hiked up to a remote cabin in the mountains, for a weekend camp-out, stand out in his memory. Generally every fall the men of the family, including Mark, go hunting for big game. Then there’s the butchering to do, and the sausage to smoke. Mark also likes trekking through the mountains by himself — he never gets lost. “I enjoy waking up at 4 in the morning and going for a hike; and getting somewhere by 9 o’clock. And you find yourself among a horse pack train or something, and they’ve been going for two days already . . . I enjoy pushing myself, seeing how far I can go in a limited amount of time. I just enjoy the challenge of seeing how far back I can get. Also, because I’ve done it right from young, I guess, if I ever get to a point where I need to make a decision (a big decision) I always go for a long hike — just for a few hours. I can definitely commune with God that way — I can sort out some big decisions.”
To the best of his recollection, Mark has always believed. One of his favorite Bible verses is John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”) because it spells out the Gospel so clearly. Still, there was a time when he made a definite once-and-for-all commitment to Jesus Christ. “I was probably 10 or 12,” he related, “when I realized that I was always recommitting myself to God — almost like being saved over and over again.” He decided to get serious with God. “One day I was hiking in the mountain, and there was this one big tree there – just a point of reference – and I asked God for forgiveness out loud. I spoke out loud. I knew that this would be something to look back on – something to remember. After that I had more assurance.”
Mark has been a member of GRACE MB Church since April, 2000 when he publicly confessed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by being baptized. Immediately after that he traveled with a team of men to Honduras, to help people there rebuild their homes, which had been destroyed by Hurricane Mitch. Mark was well qualified for the task, having been trained in construction by his father. These days he works in the Building Trade alongside his Dad and brother. “It’s not really a high profile way of making a living; but it’s a very practical skill,” he says, “and you can make a lot of people happy.”
Last winter, Mark attended NIPAWIN BIBLE INSTITUTE in Saskatchewan with a burning prayer in his heart — to know God’s will for his life. This is his prayer still today. And from the distant past father Heinrich Von Dyck prays with him, “Lord Jesus, guide us on life’s journey – remember us – keep us firmly trusting in You. Grant this according to Your mercy.”
September 2003
© 2003 SKM