This is a time of the year when we turn our hearts to Christmas and the miracle of God coming into our world as a baby.Does He still do miracles? A number of years ago in 1965, when I was a young husband and father of 24, I strongly desired to have a ministry where I could serve The Lord. I went into the little bathroom in our small duplex and kneeled in prayer, asking God to grant me a way to serve Him.

The following week I was in a small town called Algonac, Michigan directly across a river channel from an Indian Reservation called Walpole Island.We were preaching the gospel on the street corner. Some Indians came to listen. Afterwards, they pleaded with us to come to the Island with the gospel saying there was no gospel there. Was this it Lord? The following Saturday we checked it out and found there were dozens of children, mostly poor, wandering around. It was a wide open door! People were receptive!

We quickly acquired a bus to pick them up, a 1946 Ford bus from a Mr. Kaiser in Columbus Ohio! Yup! 1946! It cost $300, which we had to borrow from one of the men’s father. Before we left it suddenly occurred to us we might need customs approval since the Reservation was Canadian! We were so inexperienced! We called them. They said the ONLY way they would even consider it would be if we paid custom duty of 35% on the ORIGINAL cost of the bus! We were broke ! We PROMISED the children we would pick them up that Saturday! Lord, didn’t You open this door? We called Mr. Kaiser and told him our problem. He said just a moment, I’ll let you talk to Mr BL. (Name withheld) he got on the phone and we learned he had papers from the government in Ottawa to pick up TWO buses from Mr. Kaiser in Columbus and he only needed one for his work in the Maritimes! Yippee! Problem solved right? Not quite.

He said he said he would go with us through customs so over the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit that Saturday we went! However, when we got to customs they told us there was NO WAY we were going to bring a 1946 U.S. Bus into Canada to pick up children at a Canadian reservation! They were adamant! Mr. BL. stepped up. “Let me speak to the Chief Customs Agent!” He said. Down he came. He asked for an explanation. Suddenly he exclaimed, “Wait a minute! Did you say your name was Bl.? Are you from Montreal? ” Yes, I am” “Is your father’s name———–?”Yes, it is”, Mr Bl. answered. “WELL! My father was saved on the street corner in Montreal listening to YOUR father preach the gospel!” ” Let me see those papers”, he said. He stamped them APPROVED and off we went. Are you kidding me?

We got there on time and for the next 3 years, before God closed the door, we shared the gospel. Over 100 children came to a Saturday class each week. We had cottage meetings in homes. We gave away clothes and food. The chief was saved, many young people and children came to Christ. Those 3 years formed and shaped me in countless ways. Our Living God still answers prayers, so if you pray in faith to the Living God you better be prepared for the answer!

He STILL performs miracles! Nothing is too hard for God! He can even send His Son as a baby in a manger to be our Savior!

Terry