Wednesday, November 8, 2006
I do rememeber Evert warmly from a time my family lived on a farm near Turtleford. As a youngster at the Baptist Church, it was a delight to be called up on your birthday to be given a lovely pencil with a scripture verse on it, then he would hold out the little church shaped collection box and you would put your dime in there. He was a very kind and gentle man. I have good memories of Glen too, for being a kind and patient councellor at Island Lake Bible Camp and I remember Wendy for her piano playing at church and camp and for her sweet singing voice. It was a comfort to a very lonely, unhappy child, neglected and unloved at home, to be accepted and treated with kindness by people like Evert, Glen and Wendy. A church should be a haven, a refuge and a warm safe place filled with love for even the least of these and not just another place of harsh judgement. A church "family" should embrace all, even those who might be "hard to love" as one unkind camp councellor told me I was. I did not know how to be lovable due to my home life and oh how it hurt inside but children hide these feelings but thankfully there are some people who care enough to look beyond the faults. I don't think Jesus found anyone hard to love and I do still remember the gentleness yet quiet strength of spirit shown by Evert Bloom. I also remember a Miss Bloom, who was a cook at the hospital and a Sunday School Teacher and she was just a pure, sweet angel of love shining her light where ever she went. God will have a wonderful place prepared for Evert as he was a very faithful servant of the Lord.
