Beryl's Story

Beryl came to Holland Road 47 years ago. Read how her journey began when she was just 11 on a farm near Bedford, and in her words, how 'both young and old the Lord has never let us down as we tried to honour him

I grew up in a Christian family on a small farm and regularly attended the village church. When I was 11 years old, one of the preachers asked me whether I loved Jesus, and I replied that I'd like to. They prayed for me and I began to think seriously about following Jesus.

My father died in 1936 and that brought me nearer to committing my life to Jesus. God provided us with a place to live after our farm was burned by evacuees. During the war my mother and I both had to work long, tiring hours. She had to cycle into Bedford most days, 5 miles each way. I worked in a café with a Christian lady, 12-14 hours each day.

Once a week I went to a prayer meeting in a shop and also to a young people's group at a local Baptist church. At one of the meetings a speaker from New Zealand spoke on the verse, ‘Whatever God says to you, do it', and that night I decided to get baptized.

I was with another young lady who got baptized at another church, where I met a man called Ron. I didn't think about it, until two weeks later he turned up at the shop looking for me. We were baptized together in 1942 and went out for five years before getting married in 1947.

At one of the meetings a speaker from New Zealand spoke on the verse, ‘Whatever God says to you, do it', and that night I decided to get baptized.

We came to Holland Road 1959 as caretakers. The first Sunday Ron said ‘I won't stick this' - but he did, for 18 years, then we returned to organize the work for another year. It was the best days work we ever did. Our faith was strengthened here. We were taught how to live as Christians by the pastors of the church.

We learnt many lessons and older Christians helped us grow in the faith. Stories could be told. But our desire was to be a blessing to others. Ron has now passed into glory, but both young and old, the Lord has never let us down as tried to honour Him in our lives.