One of the people who has impacted my life for the glory of God more than anyone else has been George Verwer, Founder and former International Director of Operation Mobilization. Back when I was single, I had the privilege of participating in 3 different OM summer campaigns, and spending 2 years on the OM missionary ship, M.V. Doulos. During one of my summers with OM, I was asked by George to be his interim "go-fer," while his regular "go-fer" at the time was off on vacation.
That was truly a life-changing experience. I still remember very vividly knocking on George's door in Bromley, England, at 5 am each morning to go jogging with him. As we jogged together, he shared with me how, in his mind, he imagined his route to be a giant map of the world, and, how, all along the itinerary, he would remember to pray for spiritual needs and ministries in different countries, as he passed from place to place. And then, at the half-way point, we would stop, and pray together for each other, the world, and the challenges of the new day.
Although my ministry path has taken me in different directions since that time, the passion, commitment, and spiritual authenticity that so distinctively mark George's life have stayed with me down through the years. Still today, from time to time, George will send me an encouraging note, and several books he is currently pushing, just as he so faithfully does with hundreds, if not thousands, of others who have had the privilege of knowing him.
It would be hard to calculate the number of individuals around the world who are serving God in world missions today as a result of the ministry of George Verwer. But George himself was first impacted for God by the ministry of Billy Graham. As a teenage boy, growing up in New Jersey, he was invited to a meeting in which Dr. Graham spoke at Madison Square Garden in New York. It was there that he first surrendered his life to the Lord.
It was a big blessing for me to watch the following 2 1/2 minute video-clip in which George was recently able to visit with Dr. Graham at The Cove in North Carolina. It is also a blessing to see how Dr. Graham's ministry, by way of The Billy Graham Training Center, continues to bless many others, under the leadership of his grandson, Will Graham.
Watch: George Verwer meets Billy Graham
Thanks for sharing this video. We hope to find a few days to go out to The cove during our short 2-month STAS this summer. We went on our last STAS and were greatly blessed by the experience.
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