THE JOYS OF HELPING OTHERS

   There are a number of organizations that offer help to students and others who feel they would like to find a vocation that would be helpful to all who face the challenge of finding their life’s work while still being helpful to others.  After Helen Krueger had completed her studies in Canada, she applied to an organization, The Worldwide Evangelization Crusade. They did not offer a regular monthly salary but helped guide applicants with the legalities such as visas and other details like finding a partner with whom they could work safety in requested areas.  Helen tells us that during World War II all mail was opened and examined.  She wondered if letters sent to family and friends told of their safe arrival in Africa. She typed her letters on very thin paper making carbon copies so she could mail half a dozen or so in the same envelope.  She asked her Canadian recipients to help save high postage rates from overseas, but otherwise never requested money.

  In those early years, the Upper Volta was still considered part of the French West Africa colony.  A missionary on his way to Nigeria passed through a fierce tribe known as the Lobi.  A prominent leader in this tribe called Tigite, had decided to become a witch doctor and after a series of rites was ready to be sworn in the next day.  That night he had a vivid dream that told him not to become a witch doctor, to destroy all the idols and threats of curses and wait for a white man who would come and tell him the true story of God. The next morning he called his village together and told them of his dream.  He destroyed all their idols that could include placing curses on individuals for gain.  One day when Helen and her partner arrived at a similar village, they saw the trial of a woman who was being accused of adultery.  Their witch doctor had prepared a potent poison and was about to force her to drink it saying that if she died from the poison, that would prove she was guilty.  The trial was delayed.  After a ten year wait, Tigite’s dream of 10 years before was realized.  Later when Helen visited his village again a church had been erected and Tigite still sat in the front row at this church.

  After retiring from his teaching position in the mid l990s, John Krueger, Helen’s younger brother started an organization called International Fellowship that starts group farms in Kenya, Africa.  A family who joins the group and is willing to adopt four orphan children, will live there and work on this farm raising vegetables, cattle, and other farm products.  For example when one type of produce does not do well because of lack of rain, the dry land crops on the hills will produce enough food for all families there.