Chapter 2 the harvey family
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- JOHANN AND HEIDI
- GUESTS
- CHEAP TRAVEL
- CONVERSIONS AND AVERSIONS
- BLESSED TREES
- OUR FIRST NEW VEHICLE
- AUFWIEDERSEHEN AMPFLWANG!
OPERATION MOBILIZATIONI should write something about an organization known to most simply as "OM.“ A few years before we moved to Ampflwang, a young American by the name of George visited Austria. He had been on a mission trip to Communist Russia and decided to do some backpacking in Europe before returning to America. As he traveled, he received a great burden for the lost people of Europe. While praying somewhere in the Alps, not very far from Ampflwang, that young man, George Verwer, received his vision for a mission organization which would send young people to evangelize this great continent. That vision was to become "Operation Mobilization,“ one of the largest and most effective evangelical mission agencies in Europe and around the world. From 1962 until around 1969, when the Austrian OM headquarters was moved to Vienna, the church we served in Ampflwang was the OM-center for Austria. We not only hosted many youth teams, but our home was a half-way house for OM teams passing through to other parts of Europe. Our church in Ampflwang became a depot for tons of donated evangelistic materials, some of which was hardly fit to distribute. The latter collected dust and mold in our attic, but much literature found its way into the hands of Austrians and the impact of OM was great. The leader of one of our first OM teams was Greg Livingston. I shall never forget traveling with him to the train station in Attnang-Puchheim in 1966. He had heard that an OM-Team in Freistadt was quite discouraged and had nothing to eat. Since our team had plenty, Greg decided to take the other team some food and much needed encouragement. The Ampflwang OM team had an older Volkswagen van, the typical mode of transportation for OMers in those days. Greg knew that the team would need the vehicle, so he decided to take the train to Freistadt. He asked me to go with him and bring the van back. There was little time left before the train was to leave and Greg drove the old VW as fast as it would go. I drew his attention to a notice taped to the dashboard, warning that the van was not to be driven over 80 km/h under any circumstances. Greg explained that the person who made that rule had not been aware of his present circumstances. We arrived at the station only a minute before departure. Greg jumped out of the van, slung a 100-lb sack of potatoes over his shoulder, tucked a box of literature under his arm and dashed off to catch the train. I watched in despair as the train began to pull out of the station. But Greg ran for all he was worth, trying to catch it. In the last second, he was able to toss the box of literature onto the step and grab a railing with his free hand. The train was rapidly picking up speed, but Greg managed to pull himself and the heavy bag of potatoes through the door, where he probably collapsed with exhaustion. As I returned to the VW van, I wondered what would become of that guy, but now I know. Greg Livingston stayed with OM for a number of years, advancing to Director of Operation Mobilization in India. Later, he was named Director of the "North Africa Mission.“ After many fruitful years of mission leadership, Greg founded “Frontiers,“ a mission organization which is making a tremendous impact particularly in the Muslim world. JOHANN AND HEIDIThe OM team leaders in Freistadt, where Greg delivered the potatoes, were Johann Van Dam and his wife, Heidi. Heidi was a charming and enthusiastic Viennese girl who had been one of our summer helpers in Ampflwang. Her exuberance in sharing the love of Christ with everyone she met was gratifying to behold, but also contagious. Actually, she was supposed to be learning from us, but I am certain that we learned more from her. Heidi was totally unaware of it, but God used her to teach me an important lesson on prayer. Verna and I had a time of devotions and prayer each morning, and after Heidi arrived, she became part of that custom. One morning I was praying when the phone rang. Verna went to answer it and I continued praying. Then there was a knock on the door, so Heidi went to see who it was. I was left praying alone -- and suddenly realized that I had not been talking to God! My prayers were of course addressed to him, but the content was mainly formulated for Verna and Heidi. As I pondered this, I began to realize how different Heidi's prayers were. She always prayed to God and we happened to be present. Those prayers were so simple, refreshing and genuine! From that time on, I determined to pray to God. At the time, Heidi was a student at Brake Bible Institute in Germany and engaged to a Dutch student named Johann Van Dam. We became close friends and after graduating from Bible School, Heidi and Johann chose Ampflwang as the place where they would be married. They had many friends who, for the most part, like themselves, had very little money. Some were students while others worked with OM, the organization which they would also be serving. We were struggling to put food on the table for our little family. The thought of housing and feeding more than a hundred people worried us, but we prayed and left the matter with the Lord. The church members were few in number but determined to do whatever they could to help. We all set about preparing for the arrival of the guests. When the date of the wedding arrived, guests began to stream in from all over the world! There were Dutch and Austrian relatives, of course, but also friends from Great Britain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Australia and North America. Greg Livingstone was also on hand with his red-headed wife and baby. When cars and vans loaded with people converged upon Ampflwang, we somehow managed to find lodging for them even if it was just a sleeping bag on the floor. The church members made an excellent meal of Wienerschnitzel (breaded veal cutlets) for more than 150 guests. The wedding was lovely and as guests departed for home, many said that it was the nicest wedding they had ever attended - and there was no alcohol! The Ampflwang church loaned the newlyweds its Fiat Multipla for the honeymoon. We loaned them our camera, which OMers were forbidden to use or even have in their possession! After the wedding, guests bid their farewells and departed. We discovered money tucked between sheets and under the table cloth. Several new pairs of men's' socks were lying on a bed (had someone noticed that mine had holes in them?). Reading the Bible together the following morning, a verse of Scripture revealed God's not-so-secret formula for all this: Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:1). Heidi learned the florist trade before heading for Bible College. The first time she came to Ampflwang, she brought a small climbing vine as a gift for Graham and Jayne Lange, our predecessors. The vine had spread across one wall of the living room when we moved in and by the time of Heidi's wedding, it nearly filled the room! Heidi and Johann left for their honeymoon on Monday. By Tuesday, the vine had withered and died! We carefully examined it to find out the cause, but decided that it had just fulfilled its purpose in life. Following their marriage, the Van Dams assumed responsibility for Operation Mobilization's work in Austria. They kept that position for more than 25 years. They are now officially retired, but still very active in the Lord’s work. At this writing, Johann is pastoring a church in Vienna and Heidi operates a Christian book store. Many years later, in July of 2000, we signed up for a bus trip to Trieste, Italy to visit the OM Ship, Logos II. The Australian Program Director on Logos II invited Verna and me into their cabin for tea and cake. He told us that the Austrian youth aboard were among the finest of the crew. He then added that the crew member who probably had the greatest positive impact and influence on both nationals and fellow crew members was an Austrian named Sammy Kramer. But Sammy was in Albania planning for the ship's arrival there. Now, here is the connection: Sammy's mother told us that she found Christ through an OM team in her home city of Freistadt. That was the summer Greg took food and encouragement to the team. The team leaders were the newlyweds, Johann and Heidi Van Dam. GUESTSWe often entertained guests who were simply passing through. Some traveled by “EuroRail,“ which offers unlimited travel for a certain length of time. This is especially reasonable for young people. Other visitors came in rented vehicles or with a tour group. We once received an unexpected phone call from Innsbruck. "Hi Ralph, do you remember me?" The man on the other end gave his name and I remembered him well. He had pastored one of our supporting churches at the time we changed missions. He had written us that he believed we were making a serious mistake. We had not seen nor heard from him in many years, and he explained that he was traveling with his son and asked if they could visit us. Upon their arrival, our guest confessed that he had not really intended to visit us, but his money had run out and the credit card was charged to its limit. He still had three days before the return flight and didn't know what to do. He remembered that we were in Austria and looked us up! From that time on, he became a regular supporter of our ministry. A group of college students traveling in Europe needed a place to get showers. We had met one of them during a furlough and invited him to visit, should he ever travel to Europe. They were traveling by InterRail during the high season, so I asked if they had difficulty finding seats together. They just looked at each other and laughed. Finally, one of the guys said, "We look for a compartment with an empty seat and send James in to occupy it. He sits down and takes off his shoes. Before long, we have the compartment to ourselves!" A second youth added, "But when we get inside, he has to put his shoes on!" CHEAP TRAVELThis experience reminds me of a story I once heard. Three American and three Austrian backpackers were traveling by train in Europe. At the station, the three Americans each bought tickets and watched as the three Austrians purchased only a single ticket. "How are three people going to travel on only one ticket?" asked one of the Americans. "Watch and you'll see," answered one of the Austrians. They all boarded the train. The Americans took their respective seats, but all three Austrians crammed into a restroom and closed the door behind them. Shortly after the train departed from the station, the conductor came to punch tickets. He knocked on the restroom door and said, "Ticket, please." The door opened just a crack and a single arm emerged with a ticket in hand. The conductor punched it and handed it back. The Americans saw this and agreed it was quite a clever idea. After a day of sight seeing in Innsbruck, the Americans decided to follow the Austrians' example to save money. When they got into the train, their Austrian friends had also boarded the same train. To the Americans' astonishment, the Austrians didn't buy any ticket at all! "How are you going to travel without a ticket?" asked one perplexed American. "Watch and you'll see," answered an Austrian. After the train left the station, the three Americans crammed into one restroom while the three Austrians remained in the compartment grinning. Shortly afterwards, one of the Austrians left his place and walked to the restroom where the Americans were hiding. He knocked on the door of the restroom and said, "Ticket, please." As a young person, Verna dreamed of operating a hotel and restaurant -- her dreams have been more than fulfilled! Our homes have always been open to visitors, and we still thrive on the excitement and blessings of hospitality. For seven years, we worked closely with the Bible Institute. Verna cooked for the school and we were responsible for the summer camp programs. In order to encourage young couples to be hospitable, a leather-bound guest book has become our standard wedding gift. CONVERSIONS AND AVERSIONSOne of the home Bible studies was held in the Bachmann home in Holzleithen. The wife of a coal miner had become a Christian and although her husband was not enthusiastic about this development, he observed a positive change in his wife and allowed us to conduct a Bible Study in their home. When the day for Mrs. Bachmann's baptism arrived, I drove to their house to pick her up. It was raining hard and our baptistry was out of doors, so the rest of the family was surprised that we hadn't called it off. "You aren't going to make everyone stand in the rain while Mom gets dunked, are you?" one of the older boys jeered. I replied without hesitation, "It won't rain during the service!" With that, the boy laughed and said, "That, I've got to see!" To my surprise, her husband and nearly all their six children piled in our van and came to the service. The baptism was scheduled for two o'clock. Throughout the church service, rain pounded on the roof and windows. After the service, ladies of the church began cooking a fellowship dinner for everyone. It continued to rain with no signs of letting up. Promptly at 1:45, however, the rain stopped. At 2:00 the sun was shining and continued to shine throughout the baptismal service. When the service ended, dark clouds closed in and soon it was pouring again. It rained for the next two days without a pause. The Bachmann home was a typical Austrian home with a large room which served as kitchen, dining room and living room. It was the only room that was heated and when they went to bed, bedroom doors were left open to allow heat to circulate. During the weekly Bible studies, Mr. Bachmann sat in the corner smoking his cigarettes and watching TV while we, his wife and a neighbor or two sat around a table for Bible study. After three weeks, I noticed the volume on the TV was not so loud as usual. A couple of weeks later, he just sat in his corner and smoked with the TV turned off. The following week, he crushed out his cigarette when we arrived and a week later, his chair had been moved a few feet closer to our side of the room, but still facing a window. When I greeted him the following week, I casually invited him to sit at the table and he obliged. It wasn't long before he was asking and answering questions. When evangelistic meetings were conducted in Ampflwang a few weeks later, I was not at all surprised that he publicly professed faith in Christ. Years later, as one of the Church Elders, Mr. Bachmann was killed in a mine accident. One dear lady of the church, Frau Knoll, prayed faithfully for her husband's salvation. I visited their home often and found him to be quite agnostic. When I visited their home in mid June, 1967, I found him studying the newspaper. Before I could say a word, he showed me a page full of pictures from the Israeli six-day war and exclaimed, "There has to be a God! This proves it!" I spent much time sharing the gospel with him after that, but he never gave his life to Christ. Resi was one of the faithful church members. She had a lovely voice and could really yodel. Her husband Josef was much older and an agnostic. Back in 1934, he and his twin brother had been members of a political resistance movement which opposed the rising strength of the National Socialist Party. They and four other young men were captured by the Nazis, lined up on the stage of a local theater and mowed down by machine gun fire. Josef escaped seriously wounded, pretending to be dead, but his twin and the others were killed. Fifty years later, in 1984, Josef suffered a stroke and almost died. Doctors said that if he recovered, he would never walk again, but his wife and the church prayed for his recovery and even more for his salvation. The first request was granted and Josef himself told people that it was the prayers of our church which were responsible for his miraculous recovery. I sat with him soon after that and tried to encourage him to give his life to Christ. He reverted to his old line saying, "If there is a God, he would have to be happy with me. I have never done anything wrong and worked hard all my life." I asked, "If you had a child that had no time for you, but used arguments like that, would you be happy?" He looked at the floor for a while and then answered with tearful eyes, "I have one daughter and you just described her." I encouraged him again to give his life to God, but when he died several years later, he was still holding out. BLESSED TREESOne year, Ampflwang announced a campaign to help make the town greener. Shade and fruit trees were being offered to home owners at very low prices, so I suggested to the church that we get a couple of trees. They left the choice up to us and we got an apple tree and a cherry tree. We planted the apple tree in one corner of the yard and the cherry tree about ten feet from the fence. Our neighbor on the left was Roman Catholic but not at all religious. And he was not happy about having a church next door. He complained about children making noise and people singing when he was trying to sleep. Our church services were at 8:00 AM. Once, a stranger asked him for directions to our church and he said that he never heard of it. Now, while I was sweating to plant trees, the neighbor stood in his yard and watched. After digging the holes, putting compost in the bottom, carefully setting the trees so they would grow straight, and watering them generously, he walked over to the fence and started yelling at me. He claimed that the cherry tree would grow large and cast shade on his side of the fence. At first I explained that the tree was not supposed to get that large and that we would crop the branches if it did. That didn't satisfy him and he kept harping. Finally, I said rather impatiently, "Okay, I will dig it up and plant it further from the fence, but I wish you had told me before I did all that work." He just walked away, probably surprised that I had offered to move the tree. Our neighbor also bought a couple of the cheap trees and had the audacity to plant one of them right next to the fence just three feet from the church window. It was obvious that we would get no light in that window but I kept my peace. About three weeks later I noticed that the leaves had turned brown. Soon after that, the neighbor dug up the dead tree and planted another in its place. When he was finished, he took a bundle of pussy willow branches to the church for the priest to bless and placed the twigs next to his tree. That tree also died and he planted a third tree! This time I saw him working and went over to express my condolences over the bad luck he was having with the trees. Without much thought, I said that I would pray that this tree would survive. He just muttered something that I couldn't understand and went back to work. The tree not only survived, but grew rapidly and was soon so high that only the trunk could be seen from our window. We got plenty of light and the leaves provided protection from the sun. Because the tree was so close, the apples that hung over our side of the fence were legally ours to eat. Best of all, we had friendly relations with the neighbor from that time on. One year, we decided that an evergreen growing in the yard was getting too big and had to go. Verna suggested that we cut it down just before Christmas and use it for the church's Christmas tree. By Christmas time, the ground and trees were covered with snow, so after cutting the tree down, I took it into the sanctuary and placed it on a sheet of plastic so the snow would melt. When I went back to check it after a few hours, the room was filled with a putrid odor. I discovered that birds had been blessing the tree and it was caked with their poop! I took it back outdoors and hosed it down as best I could, but church members still complained about the smell. OUR FIRST NEW VEHICLEMany of the roads that we traveled in those days were not paved and in poor condition. We ruined four tires one winter, driving on roads with deep, frozen ruts. One can just imagine what happens to the suspension of a tired old vehicle under such conditions. Our "Samba Bus" not only had bad shock absorbers and springs, but the welds on several parts of the frame were broken. The VW "Samba" was a heavy vehicle with all of 27 windows, lots of chrome trim, a double floor and full length canvas "sun roof." But the motor only had 30 horsepower! Driving on the slightest upward incline, one had to shift into low gear. We decided to ask our supporters to help us get a newer bus. To our surprise, Verna's father offered to loan us money for a brand new, nine-passenger Volkswagen van. We ordered the vehicle and by the time it was available, we had already received gifts totaling $610. The dealer gave us $300 for our old van and Verna's father loaned us $1,400 for the remainder, which we were able to pay back within two years. The Austrian Volkswagen dealerships had their own insurance company. The salesman quoted us a figure of $150 annually for full collision insurance. We decided that it would be wise to have collision since the vehicle was not yet paid for. But when the bill came in the mail, it was for a whopping $400! I called the VW-Insurance Company, explaining that they must have made a mistake. The representative assured me that there was no mistake and that no agent of theirs would have quoted us a wrong figure. He then explained that "full collision" meant that we would not pay a cent for any damages, regardless of who was at fault. The reason it was so expensive, was that even a scratched hubcap would be replaced without cost (this policy was redefined a year later to include a $100 deductible clause). I said that in this case, I only wanted liability insurance and requested to have the collision policy cancelled. I could hardly believe my ears when he said that this was impossible. He informed me that all insurance policies in Austria are by law automatically effective for the duration of ten years. I found this difficult to believe and went to the Austrian Touring Club for advice. Their representative confirmed this fact and said that there was nothing that I could do but pay the requested amount. He explained that if I sold the car, the insurance is normally transferred to the vehicles' new owner, but the law allows the new owner to cancel it if he so desires. I would have to keep the policy as long as I owned the car. Although we were dismayed by this news, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Just before we were to leave for furlough, a truck backed into the side of our ten-month-old van. The driver readily admitted to being in the wrong, but when we took the bus to the VW dealer for repairs, we were told that the truck owner insisted we were in the wrong. The dealer said that we would have to go to court to prove our innocence before they could repair the damages. I reminded him that his representative had sold us full collision coverage and told the dealer, "In that case, your own insurance company must pay the damages. I am leaving for America in two days." After that statement, things began to happen! He got on the phone and soon inspectors came to question both drivers, take photos and make pages of notes. The damages were estimated at $700 but I never did find out which company paid the bill! During our furlough, one of the church members skidded off the road while on his way to pick up people for church. Again, the damages amounting to several hundred dollars were fully covered. After our return from furlough, I hit a curb and blew a tire. I checked to see if tires were covered. They were excluded unless some part of the car itself was damaged in the same occurrence. The rim had gotten a small dent, so the insurance bought me both tire and rim! After the loan from Verna's father was paid back, I wanted desperately to get rid of that expensive insurance. I again approached the insurance agent and requested the company to cancel the collision coverage. Someone in the main office apparently discovered that we were not a very good risk, so the company offered to exchange our full collision policy for a deductible collision policy. I cautiously asked what the reduced coverage would cost in writing. It would have cost the same as the one already in effect! I naturally declined their offer and consulted the agent of a competitor insurance company. Anxious to get another customer, the agent checked the laws and said that if I sold the car to my wife, she could cancel the insurance as the new owner. There was a catch however; I must have the contract notarized. Business transactions between marriage partners are otherwise not legally binding in Austria. Relieved, I went through all the requirements to sell the van to Verna. The Notary Public charged $25 for his services and Verna wrote a registered letter to cancel the insurance. We later received a bill for the cancelled policy, but ignored it. A month later, another bill came which included a late payment charge. I wrote the company a registered letter declaring that I had sold the car and the new owner had cancelled the policy. I expected to hear no more, but soon we received a registered letter from the insurance company stating that the matter would soon be turned over to their lawyer. If we did not or could not pay the amount due, our possessions would be seized and a court case would be pending. The insurance company then wrote that it was going to be very gracious and would allow a week to pay the outstanding bill including late charges! I called the company and asked politely to please check their files for my registered letter. Their response was another registered letter in which they stated that the bill of sale named my wife as the new owner. They could not recognize the transaction as a legitimate reason for discontinuing the policy. I immediately wrote another registered letter quoting the law about notarization and gave them the number assigned to our contract. The response came a few days later, again by registered mail. It absolutely floored us! The company's lawyer wrote in a language that only lawyers use, that there are two kinds of Notary, and that the law in question specified a "Court" Notary. Our contract had been notarized by a "Public" Notary. We would be wise to pay the bill promptly in order to avoid uncomfortable circumstances. I took the matter to the Austrian Touring Club, of which I was a member. They put their lawyer on my case, who said that the law was on the side of the insurance company. At the time the law was written (in the late 1700s long before automobiles were invented!), there was only one kind of Notary. The lawyer studied both insurance policies and informed us that a fine print clause in both policies stated, that if a claim was covered by any other insurance, they were not obliged to pay! In event of an accident, both companies could refuse to pay damages. The only way I could get out of the mess, would be to sell the van to a stranger as soon as possible! I would still have to pay the outstanding bills and late fees, however, which now amounted to more than $500! The insurance agent who sold me the new policy and told me about the notarization seemed like a genuinely friendly and honest person. I decided to return to ask if there was any way that he could help me out of my predicament. After hearing my story, he was very sympathetic and dropped all other duties to investigate my case. He said that he would call me if he was able to find a way of escape. I received a call the following day and was invited to his office. When I entered, he gave me a triumphant grin. "It's all OK," he said, "I called the Motor Vehicle Agency Office where they keep the titles of all registered cars. Someone I know works there and he agreed to smuggle out your notarized title and sales contract." He went on to explain that he had taken my legal documents to a "Court" Notary, who notarized the work of the "Public" Notary! Because the original documents had to remain by law in the files of the "Court" Notary, the papers returned to the Motor Vehicle Agency files were merely photo copies! I sent the new notarization number to the Volkswagen Insurance Company and never heard from them again. AUFWIEDERSEHEN AMPFLWANG!In summer, 1967, The Langes told us and the International Miner's Mission that they planned to resign from the mission and accept a pastorate in Graz when they returned to Austria. The General Secretary of the IMM visited us in July and asked us to continue our ministry in Ampflwang. It was our desire that the church in Ampflwang become indigenous, and I incorrectly assumed that this would also be the goal of every mission. I boldly offered a plan that could help the church attain this goal, suggesting that the Miner's Mission sell the mission property to the local church. After that was accomplished, the believers could call and support their own pastor. The response of the mission leaders left us dumbfounded. On September 14, the IMM President wrote us that, under no circumstances would they "give up their mission station." Further argumentation produced no results, so we explained that we could not remain in Ampflwang. Our goal was establishing indigenous churches. The mission had no workers available, so the General Secretary asked the Langes and us to look for a capable person to assume responsibility for the church. We were beginning our first furlough in early February, so began immediately to look for someone to replace us. We also began to look for a new place to minister upon our return. By February of 1968, several persons were approached about taking charge of the "mission station" in Ampflwang, but no one had accepted. Graham Lange suggested that a young Canadian, Klaus Hildebrandt, be invited to serve in Ampflwang during the months that we would be in America. The church and mission agreed, so we left our furnishings and nearly new Volkswagon bus for his use. He arrived shortly after our departure and returned to Canada prior to our return, so we never met him, but we heard good reports of his ministry from both church members and townspeople. We had become good friends with an Austrian businessman in Vienna, who was a very active lay leader of his church. He had received no formal Bible training, but had a missionary heart and knew God’s Word. The church had also gotten to know the Jagoditsch family, and when I suggested them as our possible successors, the believers were enthusiastic. We flew to America for a 7-month furlough in February, confident that the IMM would bless this arangement. Mr. Jagoditsch planned to open a similar business in Ampflwang where he could work part time to support himself, so it would cost the mission nothing. Instead of "good bye," Austrians say, "AUFWIEDERSEHEN," which means "see you again." When we left for our furlough in 1968, we assumed that our ministry in Ampflwang was finished, but God had other plans. Index Directory: documents documents -> Concept stage documents -> Concept stage documents -> The great global switch-off documents -> Nonprofit grant application documents -> The Truth about the Rwandan Genocide documents -> Annual InStructional unit plan documents -> Chaos equipment included Download 2.2 Mb. Share with your friends:
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