About Donald

I was brought up in a family that went to church; my father went to a church in the nearby large town but my mother went to the village church. All four of us children were choir members and went to church at least twice on a Sunday. But this just made us religious not Christians. My mothers faith grew at this time with her questions to the minister (vicar) "How do you meet the Lord Jesus Christ at the kitchen sink?"

(picture of Rowhedge church courtesy of Rowhedge.com)

We moved to County Durham. As a teenager I wanted to be more sure of what I believed and was searching for meanings to life's questions, for instance, "What is life for?". There was no sudden answer from God and only when I read a book "The Bible as History" did I realise that the bible was true. In the book Werner Keller shows that there was a lot of archaeological evidence for events portrayed in the bible. I searched and searched finding more evidence for the events portrayed in the bible. I met many ministers and leaders of churches who were just 'religious'. They were stuck in the old testament, church going to them was the most important thing and how you worshipped; ceremony was very important. At this time we lived in County Durham (England) and the church there had good contacts with St Johns college, Durham where conferences were organised to deepen our faith, my young faith grew.

In my mid 20's I moved to Coventry, a very lonely city, and searched for a church where the Lord Jesus Christ was worshipped. The Baptist church was good but believers baptism was so important there I often wondered what (who) they worshipped. I joined Coventry cathedral congregation because there was a core of real Christians worshiping there who were very active in the midweek services. The weekend services though were full of ceremony and through Toc-H I met a group of born again Christians from southern Cheshire. So every weekend I travelled up to Nantwich, southern Cheshire, where all the young Christians of the area were taken in vans and cars to a large farm house where the Cliffe family lived. My faith in the Lord Jesus Christ deepened a lot under the teaching we received there, the joy and the Christian Love the leaders showed was a good advert for Christianity. 'Old man Cliffe' and Sheila (a Methodist lay preacher) were wonderful leaders.

My thirst for more knowledge of God was very great and I wanted to serve Him with the whole of my life. I applied to All Nations Christian College (Theological college) and was accepted to study there for three years full time. My faith grew deeply and my time there came to an end, I then was asking God, "What now, where do you want me to serve you?". I waited a year for a reply and during this year I worked with Mission Aviation Fellowship building an ambulance hovercraft and with the Red sea mission team. The Lord then led me to work with Sudan United Mission (now Action Partners) and I went to Nigeria for three years. I had no guaranteed income during my time at college or in Nigeria but God provided all I needed.

Following this God open up the way for me to help set up and then manage a large Garden Centre and then on to setting up a small conservatory erecting and manufacturing company. Being a Christian in business is very difficult but God honoured my obedience to His law.

Time moved on and I enjoyed a second period (four years full time) at college at Sunderland University where I gained an honours degree in Education. This led to teaching posts in England but it was God's timing for a move this time to the Isle of Lewis, Scotland and more teaching in Scotland.

This was a big step of faith to sell the house without another to move into. God was keeping his promises though and as long as we followed he led us. Jean and I had been married for nearly 20 years and we had three children, our eldest stayed in co Durham for further education, four of us moved to Lewis. Our faith in God was rewarded and in the ten years that we have been here God has provided all we need, (not want, need).