By David Steven
Andreas and Helène von Malortie Fast forward forty years. Andreas “just happens” (French par hasard) to visit Montenegro with a mission team from his Swedish church. He “just happens” to meet a girl, Mary Lynne (Stevens) McCulloch, then ministering with Operation Mobilization in the same country. He then “just happens” to mention in the conversation his memory of a young American that he met on his first missions experience in Belgium and France way back in 1971. And the rest is history. As the conversation developed, it soon became clear that I, that “young American,” was Mary Lynne’s Dad! Having renewed contact via email, Andreas and his wife, Helène, planned a visit to our home this past July. Have you ever met someone at the airport that you haven’t seen in more than forty years? Having succeeded in recognizing each other, we spent three days together, speaking of old times and recounting God’s faithfulness over the years. We’ve both been along “unfamiliar paths” (Isaiah 42:16) that now intersect once again. Andreas and Helène have now returned to Sweden and we have recently made a return trip to Belgium and France. Interestingly, we flew into the international airport of Brussels, located in Zaventum, the very community in which Andreas and I met for the first time as wet-behind-the-ears missionaries.
Personally, I can’t wait to get to heaven! There we’ll have all eternity to recount the divinely directed par hasards of personal encounters that enrich our lives and remind us of God’s faithfulness. |