LIFE STORY/AS TOLD BY MARCEL GILLET -A LIFE-CHANGING VISIT

 I was born on December 22, 1929, in Norville, a small hamlet of nine farms close to Bastogne, in the Belgian Ardennes.  I have fond memories of my childhood on the farm with my parents. My younger brother, Raymond and I milked the cows by hand each day and helped to bring in each harvest. There was a deep sense of solidarity in our village, where we all pitched in to help one another.

My parents, Emile and Alice, were devout Catholics. They attended Mass every Sunday. However, about 1939, pioneers from England came to our village and offered my dad a subscription to the Consolation magazine, (now called Awake!) My father quickly recognized the ring of truth and started reading the Bible.  When he stopped attending Mass, our neighbors, who had been friendly, turned into fiery opposers. They pressured my father to remain Catholic, leading to many heated discussions.

It pained me a lot to see my father under severe pressure. That prompted me to seek God's help in the heartfelt prayer mentioned at the beginning of this article. When the opposition of our neighbors ebbed away, my heart swelled with joy. I became convinced that Jehovah is the "Hearer of prayer." 

Next time: LIFE STORY/AS TOLD BY MARCEL GILLET - LIFE DURING THE WAR

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