The Words of the van der Stok Family
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The Words of the van der Stok Family |
Dear Friends:
Soon I hope to begin this letter with "Dear Family." That would be fine! But till that time I have to work hard to get the Divine Principle in my mind, to make it part of myself. Sometimes I am thinking far ahead, to help other men with the problems I have now, and to overcome them. But that is still in the future, although perhaps sooner than I may think.
I was the silent man in the last meeting in Washington, D. C. I am that by nature, which I have to change, but also I had to fight and make my decision myself. I knew God brought me to the USA for this reason, to find the Principle, but I had to say "Yes!! to it. That is again the 95%-5%. God told me in 1954 when I was 17 years old that I had to go to the USA where I would find something. This is what happened a short time ago.
I was born in Indonesia, in the capital Djakarta; I lived there my first 13 years and finished my first six school years. From that age I had to leave my parents for a better education in Holland. They followed me after a couple of years. After my education and military service, I stepped out into the world in 1960 and began to earn my own money. Again 13 years after I was in Holland, I arrived in New York and made America my home country, the third one in a row. My first year here was in St. Louis, Mo., the second in Kansas City, Mo. and my third year began in Cleveland where I found what I was looking for. I was not really looking because I knew God would show it to me, but I did not know where or what it would be.
My first Sunday in Cleveland I went to a church where I met Orah Schoon. When I was walking there, I asked myself, "Why are you going to this church when there are so many others." Now I know, and I am glad I went. If I look back, I am not the same person as before. The difference is in looking for a higher life in the church, and now finding it in the Divine Principles.
Since the beginning of this month I am a deacon in the church where I found Orah. My first thought was, why? I, who can hardly speak English? But my second thought was of Principle, to bring it to a greater group of people.
But first I have to work at it, to get a little of the same wisdom as you. I hope to see each of you soon.