O, to be at peace with one’s own feeling of belonging to the family of God.

The lifetime of living in a world, so remotely detached from what was set in place by our Creator, to provide us with all that we could possible need to live in accordance to His will, being disregarded in favour of an existence so removed from where the Lord would have us be.

Many have started well during their infant years, being encouraged by those who have already faced the challenges of life and come through with a deep realisation that their very existence is supported by the love of God, that surpasses all understanding. Then when we start to mature life throws at us many challenges in the form of distractions, presented as normal but hiding many pitfalls to a young maturing soul. These tender years, when wrong becomes right and right becomes wrong, are so confusing that the tendency is to favour the soft option of taking the road of least resistance in the hope that all will come right in the end.

We can possibly relate to a disclosure of a lifetime experienced by such a soul that can be described as eventful and worldy, but thrown a lifeline by the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement at Calvary, where our salvation is secured by His precious Blood being shed for us and the joy of His resurrection. Amen.

Born to a Christian Mother in 1939 at the beginning of World War Two – not the best start for a new born child to wake up to! The Father, although assigned to special duty as an Engineer in one of the government factories, to engage in the designing and fabricating of classified equipment, decided that he would far prefer to be elsewhere at the sharp end of this pending, long drawn-out conflict, instrumented by the evilest government regime the world has eve known, that of the Nazi party.

During those early four difficult years the young child attended Sunday school, supported by his Mother who was also a Sunday school teacher, administering all the necessary nourishment for body and soul, bringing up the boy child with her devotional love of Christ that has become so deeply implanted in his character that nothing or no-one could erase.

But life is no so predictable, Satan had other ideas for this young child. The formative years could not have been better, much time spent learning to read and write, reciting short texts from Scripture with other friends from Sunday school, in preparation for our short moment to address the congregation during the Sunday morning service. The highlight of which was the annual gathering of local Chapels, when the extra effort was made to present a longer spiritual message, by those who felt confident to address the packed Church pews and upper gallery. So, it fell on this young lad who was now in his seventh year of life, to deliver a message of great understanding that “the earth belongs to the Lord” in the form of the 24^th Psalm.

Not to be read but recited from memory, what an awesome task to fulfil. Many weeks went by until the great event had arrived. Memories remain of sitting in the front row waiting to be invited up to the pulpit, which seemed as if it was touching heaven itself, being placed in a prominent position by the preacher, the only recollection was looking at the face of the clock duly installed in the centre of the upstairs gallery. Completely oblivious to all those focusing on this young child but sensing the words of the Psalm being expressed with a fortitude correctness implanted in the subconscious mind to such a degree that 72 years later it just seems like yesterday.

Satan would insist on having his moment in the life of this young soul. Arriving at 11 years old, time to break loose from the ongoing need to attend Chapel three times on a Sunday, or better still, not to attend at all. So it was for the next three years, until making a very close friend in High School and spending most weekends with him at his parent’s farm, but not without a very potent requirement.

His parents were lay preachers, ministering around the small Chapel communities of Radnorshire. To make things worse, we two friends were separated on Sunday, when both sister and brother joined their Father on his quest to Minister in various Chapels and myself left to accompany his Mother on her outreach ministry, where I was encouraged to participate in reading the Biblical text that she felt appropriate for delivering the Gospel message on that day. God’s hand is moving again. The conversion process had started, albeit with some trepidation. The start of the teenage years brought its own set of uncertainty, not too sure as to what would come next in this young life, but God has set His plan in place for this young lad. The Pentecostal Church in town was running a youth scheme on Wednesday evenings. One of the fellowship Deacons had the idea of encouraging young lads to attend by introducing various practical items such as small petrol engines, electrical components, that were duly dismantled and their respective parts and function explained. The bonus was yet to come, after captivating our young group, the end of the session always culminated in a reading fro the Scripture, the Gospel message and prayer time; with a final request or invite to attend the Church services and prayer meeting held in the local Methodist Church.

Well, God’s plan was certainly materialising. Regular attendance was now set in place. Several weeks went by, when during one of the prayer meetings a deep conviction of sin was exposed, the Holy Spirit touched this young lad with the realization that there was something desperately missing in his life. He always believed. From a young age, he had always believed that he was a Christian but it was not enough. God moved! The implanted see suddenly matured, the young lad gave his testimony that he had prayed for and received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. No outward sign of speaking in tongues or rolling on the floor, “just God” giving an overwhelming felling of love, peace and belonging to the family of our Lord Jesus.

Left school at 14 years old, without certificates, only a comment on the final report which read, could have done better. So, what was the problem? Achieved the ability to read and write, spelling not too good but art and science subject well up the classroom grade. Had a good fix on mechanical knowledge having read every day in school the treasured book on mechanical engineering – albeit to the detriment of other school subjects. Homework mainly consisted of dismantling and rebuilding the Triumph 1936 200cc motorcycle, bought for 8 pounds when aged 11, from money earned delivering meat for the local butcher every Saturday morning.

The Father of my best friend was able to secure a position for me in the local agricultural garage, to train as a mechanic. This proved to be a complete failure, other than coming to understand that the workplace is not such an attractive environment when controlled by an abusive overseer with a very short fuse, if things failed to materialise to his liking. Not a very good start to an expected career in the motor industry. Moved on to a few short-term jobs, but never felt that they were suitable and where I need to be. Moved back to South Wales, having spent the last five years in Radnorshire. Home now was the same small cottage, in a valley village surrounded by coal tips, far removed from the green fields of Radnorshire. But it was home with familiar surroundings and friends that were known from early school days.

Another short-term job presented itself in the Accounts Department of Lines Bros, Merthyr Tydfil and then transferred to the Export Office. Still not my first choice, I felt unsuited to a lifetime of pushing paper around. The next position was that of a Junior Salesman in John Lewis Motors, Merthyr Tydfil, selling cars and motorcycles. This was in a market which say the early days of finance, with all its shortfalls, of having to deal with some customers who could not continue paying and the unfavourable task of having to reclaim the items purchased.

No training can prepare you for dealing with those who have found themselves in financial difficulties, the compassion or sympathy approach comes with its own problems and only experience can enable the correct procedure to be adopted. Best left to those most suited to this kind of work.

The mining industry was looming on the horizon and the training to qualify for such a position looked quite favourable. Nine weeks in the school of mines to obtain ‘O’ level in Maths and English and the necessary practical exposure to the actual working conditions in a mining environment, finally resulted in obtaining the necessary certificate to allow one to work underground. What a different world, no natural light, blackness beyond one’s imagination. Mechanisation had come to the South Wales coal mines. Many problems with the safety issues, were as a result of having to work with roof support systems which totally inadequate to cope with the fast-moving production faces. The mixing of old support technology with the new production demands proved many times to be very dangerous, with frequent roof falls, always a factor to be aware of during the working day.

The subterranean stratum in all the South Wales coal field was particularly hazardous, due to the nature of it being fragmented and very unstable.

Eight years on the coal face and enduring the daily danger of that environment rubberstamped the need for the initial training and schooling programme, to at least give some understanding of what actually and realistically lay ahead. After approximately two years of learning the ropes to work safely underground, the management felt that the position of ‘cutter man’ would be highly suitable, due to the interest shown in all things mechanical.

The introduction of a new form of coal removal from the actual coal face had come into play; this took the form of what was described as the ‘long wall coal face’ and the introduction of the German panzer armour chain face conveyors and the coal removal by Anderson Boys’ disk shearer. This system of working eventually phased out the collier system of coal removal, in most mines.

After a period of four years in this quite intensive coal production environment further training and examinations resulted in obtaining the necessary qualifications to perform the duties of a Mines Deputy and Shot Firer.

Not the best time to be employed by the N.C.B, with continual disturbance by union officials trying to impose power loading agreements that were totally unsuitable for the South Wales coal field. The continual loss of coal production and official strikes finally saw the demise of this industry; many may say the lack of interagency (cooperation) of the government at this time was the prime mover. History will show that the industry was doomed for failure, as with any other form of business when destructive policies are put in place to make in unprofitable.

Time to move on again, found a position of employment servicing and repairing large earthmoving track, operating one of the many opencast coal sites in South Wales. After some eight years had past in this position, there was an invitation as a Service Engineer with the distribution franchise supplying the equipment now being worked on.

There now seemed a long period of settling down in a job most suited to the original concept of a mechanical career, after ten years of self-improvement in dealing with at times quite complicated technical problems. A further opportunity came, “no need to apply just come and see us” the telephone message implied! The original O.E.M (Original Equipment Manufacturer) of the equipment now being serviced and repaired, would like to have you on board: for a large contract and the supply of mining trucks to Jordan.

Flew over from Cardiff airport to Brussels to meet up with the C.O of Euclid Corporation Inc. After a short company familiarization meeting, the position of Resident Engineer was now set in place and a two-year contract agreed.

Time passed quickly, with free time visiting many Biblical sites in and around Jordan. On Mount Nebo was a small Church now being renovated as a memorial to Moses, this being the actual viewing point where he saw the promised land. Deuteronomy 34: 1 ,2 ,3.

What next in the life of that young man which had started off with some uncertainty? The position of Regional Service Manager was now taken up with the same company for Europe, Middle East and Far East Contracts.

This is a good time to put the Lord first in all that has transpired. Many times, the Lord has placed a stranger in a work-place, or airport lounge that has led to be a valuable discussion in relation to the Word of God. On one occasion, waiting for a departure flight to Singapore and sitting next to another traveller in the departure lounge, a short conversation turning into quite a remarkable event, the stranger disclosed that he was a Christian, he had been in the United Kingdom on business for the past two week and no-one had, until now, spoken to him about the saving grace of the Lord Jesus. Praise His Name.

To recognise that these events in the true sense were Spirit led and established the integrity of truth that our Lord Jesus in the Spirit, is constantly watching and covering our very existence with His presence at all times.

Many years of travelling now followed from this new position, to some countries with dubious business ethics, watch your back as well as your front, seemed to be the order of the day. What was agreed as a solution was not necessarily the agreement you ended up with. Mechanical problems, although sometimes complex were comparatively easy to solve, in comparison to the humanistic requirement of a high degree of patience and fortitude.

In 1982, an urgent call came from the Belgium office, to investigate and deal with a serious failure in the main-frame rail of one of the 100 ton haulers, working in the Zin phosphate mine in Southern Israel. The timing could not have bee worse, 36 hrs before Christmas Day. No need to stay over Christmas, just carry the initial inspection to determine the problem and assure the customer, the Israel Interior Ministry and our product dealer in Tel-Aviv, that the repair work would be carried out on my return to Israel after Christmas, when all the necessary drawings and repair procedure was agreed with our Engineering Department Cleveland, USA.

Returned to Israel mid-January 1983. Due to complexity and the need to ensure that a very sound repair was carried out, the service of a government-approved, steel fabricating company was engaged to carry out the work, but this required constant supervision to ensure the rework programme followed the set engineering call-out. During a five-day rework programme, many inquisitive visitors appeared to see how the work was progressing and in particular two workshop floor cleaners who were busy every day keeping the work area tidy and also showing some interest in what was going on. My thought at the time was that this seemed unusual because normally this is quite a mess around during this type of reconstruction.

Finally, the repair was completed and arrangements made to attend a meeting with officials of the Israel Ministry of Interior, to review the final detailed report showing the defect and the end result of the repair. This meeting proved to be quite remarkable, since the two cleaners who had been in attendance during the repair were now sitting across the table during the discussion, who to my surprise presented their own report, detailing that in their opinion the rework procedure was in keeping with the engineering call-out provided by the Technical Engineering University, where they had qualified as Structural Engineers (nothing left to chance in Israel). This experience can also bring to our attention, Hebrew 13: 2 Do not forget to entertain stranger, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

Further training and familiarisation course attended the Mercedes Benz training school at Unterorkhelm Stuttgart, Euclid training school Cleveland, USA, Detroit Diesel, Alison Transmissions Rotterdam and gained a Master Mechanic Diploma with Magirus Deuz. All in preparation for the new items of technology and new product lines coming on-stream.

Transferred to the Volvo Construction Equipment as a Product Specialist, UK and Sweden, with more international travel and long-distance locations to the far east. The time spent dealing with various technical and structural problems, at one of the main mineral mines in Ssangyong, situated adjacent to the border between North and South Korea, proved quite difficult but rewarding. The general concept of engineering call-out and its associated understanding, in dealing with a particular problem is universally accepted albeit that it may consist in a different format. And so it is, that we can simulate to a degree, this coming together, in fellowship with other Christian brothers and sisters, the same Biblical understanding and final outcome albeit its transformation has a variable amount of different learning curves on that narrow pathway to our Salvation.

Time to stop and assess a greater need long overdue. Retired at 50 to help at home to care for our precious daughter, now with the Lord these past 13 years. Wife and precious Mother passed over to the care of our Lord, one-year past.

Thank you Lord for the time we were together.

Married at the young age of 17. Children; one girl and two boys. Together for 59 years and 11 months. Now a widower aged 79. Remaining strong in the Spirit, feeling closer to God in these times than ever before. The Glory of God has shone in such an incredible way, His touching and healing displayed at times when there was no other answer than the experience of divine presence.

Always felt the closeness and protection of God during my working life albeit that there were probably many situations that distract oneself from the realisation that He would never leave us or forsake us, when attempting to go it alone.

Thank-you Lord. Amen

Child of God 13th Oct 2018