Clara was a deep thinker. Often she stimulated her sister into similar thought trends. While we were still very young (possibly I was as young as just under six, and she seven-and-one-half) Clara became disturbed about a certain issue, which could affect the rest of her life. She felt it must be quickly settled. The family had just read together the story of Gideon and the fleece, as recorded in Judges chapter six. Even at this tender age Clara had already pondered the future. On that particular day she reasoned thus:"If Gideon could find out if he was to lead the army of God's people by putting out a fleece, surely I can find out if I am to go to Africa as a missionary in the same way." That morning in our self-styled playhouse of split firewood laid out on the grass, the discussion between the two of us as little girls was overheard only by the cheerful birds in the poplar trees that formed the roof of our imaginary playhouse. But I believe God heard us too. We finally scrapped the idea of putting out a fleece as such. In the first place, we questioned, "What really is a fleece?" In the second place, we did not know wherever we would find one. Furthermore, even if we had this object in question—which we concluded must be a cloth of some kind, since Gideon wrung it out—we were sure we would be unable to wring it out. Clara came up with a more practical idea for us. Instead of the fleece, we selected each a tin can. A Nabob coffee tin and an Empress strawberry jam tin represented the future of two little girls, concerned that they should make right decisions. Clara had initiated the plan. But in dead seriousness we both joined hands in agreement as we prayed, with Clara leading. It must have sounded something like this: "Dear God, we want you to show us what mission field we should go to when we grow up. I think I should go to Africa. But it would be terrible to be away out there if I was supposed to be in China or some place else. If you want me to go to Africa, please put water in this coffee tin tonight. "Ev thinks she is supposed to go to India; so if that's the right place for her, please put water in her jam tin too. Thank you, Jesus. Amen." They did not concern themselves with the other specifications Gideon had included. When God rained water into those tins that night, it assured two little girls of two things. First, God hears and answers children's prayers. Secondly, these two were to be missionaries for sure. Interestingly enough, Clara did go to Africa. God gave her a deep love for the African people. Three of her four children were born there and began their lives in primitive outlying villages of Senegal. Ten years of Clara's life were spent on African soil. I went to India at the age of twenty-five, and lived there for five years. A love for India and for Indian people in other lands has become a part of me that revives each time I see an Indian face wherever that may be. That early event was typical of several spiritual experiences in later years. Repeatedly I was stimulated to emulate my sister. It was not my desire to become a Clara-the-second. Nor did I just want to gain the recognition Clara may have received. But as in early childhood, so in years to follow. When I realized that she had found a pearl of great price I desired that good thing too, and pursued it with all my might. Before I was seven years of age the two of us competed with each other in memorizing three hundred Scripture verses in order to earn a free week at a summer Bible camp. Because the family was too poor to pay the camp fee, this was the only way we could go. Some of these Scripture passages were very difficult. With a patient mother's coaching we learned such passages as Daniel three. Tongue twisters like: "Which Neb-u-chad-nezzar the king had set up" was mastered by fitting a rhythmic lilt to them. This proved to be fun. When I could not recall exactly how it was in the Bible I would resort to my own wording. In relating the account of the prodigal son I would say, “ate, drank and beed merry." (I was teased about this for years to follow.) In another year we learned an additional one hundred verses for another free week at camp. These were thrilling experiences in our young lives. Some passages such as Isaiah 55 and Psalm 91 have remained with me throughout my life.
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Go to: Chapter 5
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