Experiencing God’s Presence Wherever I Go
Chapter 13
EXPERIENCING GOD’S PRESENCE WHEREVER I GO
By Glen G. Scorgie
Where can I go from your Spirit? (Psalm 139:7)
Two young women in a bouncing Jeep emerged from the shadowy foliage
encircling the village. Dusk was falling in the remote region of the Belgian
Congo, where they were responding to a request from the village’s sole
Christian that someone bring the Gospel to his people.
A palpable spiritual heaviness pervaded the scene before them. In the
village centre, a crowd of terrified villagers stood around a witchdoctor. A
baby in the community had just died, and their spiritual leader was about
to announce who was responsible. It was an indictment to be feared, for it
could lead to the execution of the accused.
When the witchdoctor noticed the female visitors, his face contorted with
hate as he shouted, “Go away, white people. We don’t want you!”
The two women probably would have been run out of town except for the
intervention of the village chief. In keeping with tribal customs of hospitality,
and wanting to take advantage of the visitors’ medical skills, he conceded
to let them stay for a few days in one of the village houses.
They set up their cots and mosquito nets in their assigned quarters before
the daylight disappeared. As they whispered together, a snake slithered
slowly across the floor near their feet. At that moment the reptile became
for them a searing symbol of evil. The two young women had come from the
relative security of their established mission hospital ministries in hopes of
sharing the Gospel with this unreached village, but now they felt profoundly
vulnerable and alone.
In the middle of the night, Ruth, one of the two women, was startled awake
by a vivid sense of being choked. An unseen entity was cruelly squeezing
her neck and cutting off her air supply. She had a terrifying awareness of
being under attack from a malevolent being. Immediately she woke her
companion and urged that they pray together.
What happened next was something she would treasure for the rest of
her life. Suddenly they were enveloped in God’s powerful presence and
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“
Suddenly they were enveloped in God’s powerful
presence and were delivered from their paralyzing
terror.
were delivered from their paralyzing terror. “I realized,” Ruth later reflected,
“that God was there, and He reminded me of His protection and victory
over fear by faith in Him.”
It was a life lesson for Ruth; she grew bold from her realization of the
truth in the Psalmist’s prayer: “Even the darkness will not be dark to you”
(Psalm 139:12).
Ruth Patterson served as a missionary with The Christian and Missionary Alliance from 1952 to 1992. For four decades, she lived, worked, and
witnessed in four countries on three different continents—Africa, Asia, and
Europe. This is a brief account of her experience of God’s presence—often
hidden, sometimes dramatically manifest—wherever she went. No matter
how remote the location, or dangerous the situation, God was always there.
How God Called an Ordinary Canadian Girl
Ruth was born in Mimico, Ontario, a community just west of Toronto, in
1924. She was the third child of her parents Fern (nee Rumball) and Charles
Patterson, who had immigrated to Canada in 1917 from Berwick-uponTweed on the England-Scotland border. Both parents took their Christian
commitments seriously and sought to raise their family in the faith.
Ruth grew up during the turbulent years of World War II. By 1942, one
year after her high school graduation, she was in a serious relationship with
a serviceman who had enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. But tragedy
struck Ruth’s life. On the very last scheduled bombing mission of his initial
deployment, the airman’s plane was hit by enemy fire over Europe. He was
killed and his body buried in England.
Not long after that, Ruth developed a relationship with another young man
in uniform and an engagement seemed imminent. Unlike Ruth’s earlier suitor,
however, this one’s Christian commitment was less than whole-hearted.
One evening after a date, she returned to her room in a state of confusion
about her future. She had no peace about the relationship.
At that moment, she experienced a moment of deep, Holy Spirit-created
conviction. She saw herself for who she really was—in her own words, “a
nominal Christian, living for self, not seeking God’s will, not conscious of
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my deep sin before a holy God.” She became conscious of a holy presence
with her, one that challenged and rebuked her spiritual complacency and
her self-centredness.
Ruth fell on her knees and allowed this experience of deep conviction to
penetrate her thoughts, emotions and will. With entire sincerity she surrendered her dreams and aspirations to God’s will. Henceforth, God would be
the lover and leader of her life. In that spirit, the words slipped from her lips:
“I’ll serve you; I’ll go anywhere, even to Africa.” At the time, she had no idea
how prescient her unconditional offer would prove to be.
Immediately, Ruth withdrew from the questionable relationship. Other
friendships followed, but it seemed that celibacy was the Lord’s calling,
and His presence and peace sustained her through the years. She remains
convinced to this day that God reached down to an ordinary Canadian
girl and called her to a different and better life. As the Psalmist reflected,
“You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me”
(Psalm 139:5).
Soon after her decisive encounter with God, Ruth resigned from her office
job and enrolled in a three-year program at Toronto Bible College, where
she was honoured to be named “head girl” in her graduating year in 1948.
Realizing the great need for medical outreach ministries, Ruth decided
to become a registered nurse. She enrolled from 1948-1950 at the Windsor School of Nursing, and also joined the Windsor Alliance Church, then
pastored by R.G. Simpson. There, she was exposed further to deeper life
teaching and experience, and, of course, to the missions program of The
Christian and Missionary Alliance. In time, she discerned that she should
apply for missionary service with the Alliance. But there was one remaining
hoop to jump through: attend Nyack Missionary Training Institute, which
Ruth completed by December 1951.
A Young Nurse with a Big Responsibility (Congo)
Ruth’s earlier prayer of consecration echoed in her memory when she
was offered an appointment to a medical ministry in the Belgian Congo—
the Alliance’s very first mission field. The Belgian government insisted at
the time that all foreigners planning to sojourn in the Belgian Congo must
be trained in Belgium. Ruth remembers very well her long trans-Atlantic
voyage to Belgium, where she studied French and persevered through a
challenging program in tropical medicine. In August 1953, in the company
of two newly acquired missionary friends and colleagues—Ruth Hess and
Ruth Kroon (together, the “three Ruths”)—she took a second ocean journey
from Belgium to the Congolese city of Boma.
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The C&MA was launching a hospital in the remote Kinkonzi region,
a project led by Dean and Esther
Kroh. For the next twenty years,
Ruth served faithfully alongside the
Krohs. In time, she came to direct
and teach at a nursing school for nationals. To hone her skills for these
responsibilities, she attended the
Francophone University of Montreal
one furlough where she earned a
Ruth Patterson and Ruth Luti Paku,
Bachelor of Science degree in nursdate unknown.
ing education.
Courtesy Alliance Archives
Ruth’s heart was always in personal evangelism. Convinced that the Gospel is best shared when good
works are combined with clear words, she also taught in a local Bible school,
conducted countless medical clinics out in the villages, and engaged in
village evangelism.
Throughout these decades of foreign ministry, Ruth sensed God’s presence and sustaining strength. She treasures her experience of that when,
after just one year on the field and at the youthful age of twenty-nine, she
was left in charge of the entire hospital ministry during the Krohs’ year-long
absence. She experienced it again during the upheavals and dangers of the
Congo Crisis (1960-1965), when it was frequently unclear who was in charge
of the newly independent country.
On one occasion, rebel forces tore through the region, burning, killing,
and raping at will. But the rebel militia inexplicably stopped just short of
the remote place where, unknown to them, the entire Alliance missionary
force was gathered for prayer and deliberation at its annual field convention.
The story of God’s presence in the midst of evil, spiritual forces exemplified
Ruth’s profound awareness through her twenty years in Congo that God
was there.
A Dangerous Mission
After twenty years of demanding missionary service, it would have been
entirely appropriate for Ruth to consider returning home. Besides, trained
nationals were equipped to take over leadership of the medical ministries.
The missionaries had worked themselves out of their jobs.
During this phase of growing vocational restlessness, something wholly
unexpected occurred. In the early 1970s, Southeast Asia was convulsed
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with war as the intense conflict in Vietnam had spilled over into adjoining
nations, including Cambodia. Human suffering was everywhere, so World
Vision put out an emergency call for assistance to create a children’s hospital.
Ruth sensed in her spirit that this was a call to which she must respond;
she had already been praying for the Cambodian people with deep concern for several years. Once again, she accepted an appointment to assist
her colleagues in an even riskier adventure for Jesus’ sake. She arrived in
Cambodia in 1973. The war conditions had deteriorated so much that the
planned hospital could not be constructed. Instead, Ruth turned to student
evangelistic ministries, teaching the Gospel of John in simple English.
In the midst of these perilous conditions, the Cambodians showed an
unprecedented openness to the Gospel. Most had never seen a Bible, but
now they were very keen to learn as they studied it verse by verse. Ten to
twelve young Buddhist monks met regularly with Ruth, and some of them
declared their faith in Christ. Ruth remembers these exhilarating times as
the highlight of her career.
As the war conditions worsened, the American government advised all
foreign women and children to leave on military planes. One Sunday morning, as Ruth prayerfully pondered what she should do, she attended a small
Cambodian church. There she discerned, with her still-limited language skills,
that the sermon was about Esther. Into her heart with self-authenticating
force came Esther’s famous words, “And if I perish, I perish.” She felt it was
God’s challenge to her. She would stay and trust in God’s care.
What followed was an unusually fruitful season of ministry, but it was very
dangerous. The home Bible studies she led were frequently punctuated by
the whooshing sound of an approaching rocket. Words would stop midsentence. Eerie silence would reign as everyone held their breath, not sure
whether it might be their last. Then the danger would pass. Collectively,
the group would exhale and resume their concentration on the Bible study
lesson before them.
“
The home Bible studies she led were frequently
punctuated by the whooshing sound of an approaching
rocket.
Ruth was so euphoric over the spiritual responsiveness of the Cambodians
that her dominant emotion was joy rather than fear. Looking back, she
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attributes this remarkable calm in part to the prayers of those faithfully
interceding for her. “In those moments,” she later explained, “I realized that
God was there, and He kept me and gave me peace in the face of death.”
Cambodia finally fell to Communist forces in 1975, but by this time Ruth
was completely committed to her new Cambodian friends. She relocated to
neighbouring Thailand, chiefly for the purpose of assisting refugee Cambodians with their transitions to new lives. On the side, she taught at Bangkok
Bible College and led a home Bible study with some Thai women.
But her heart went out especially to the vulnerable Cambodians in refugee camps along the Cambodia-Thailand border. Whenever permitted, she
would visit these camps, listen to heart-rending stories, read Scripture, and
offer prayer and counsel. The Holy Spirit nudged those with little hope left
in this world to put their hope in God. And many did.
Ruth’s Beloved Cambodian Refugees
Once again, the Spirit stirred Ruth to accept yet another assignment
on yet another continent. From 1978-1992, she lived in France for the
benefit of Cambodian refugees who
were faced with a bewildering new
culture and considerable life challenges. She joined Cambodian pastor,
In Sopheap, and Canadian Alliance
missionaries, Norman and Marie
Ens, in the Boulogne Cambodian
church outreach.
The Cambodian refugees were
first brought to Paris and placed
in transit centres throughout the
sprawling metropolitan area. In the
midst of horrendous Paris traffic one
day, Ruth had an experience that has
remained etched in her memory ever
since. Driving through a dark tunnel, she looked up to see a vehicle
hurtling toward her. There was no
time to avoid an imminent head-on
collision. This must be the end, she
thought. But at the last possible split
second, the other vehicle swerved
Ruth Patterson, 1991.
to one side. The maneuver defied
Courtesy Alliance Archives
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physics. Ruth recalls seeing something white between the two cars, like a
sheet of separation, almost angelic.
It took a moment to realize what had happened. Then gratitude for protection took over. Again, as in touching moments through the years, God had
shown himself on her behalf. As the Psalmist wrote, “You discern my going
out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways” (Psalm 139:3).
Other assignments followed in France. From 1983-1986, Ruth worked
alongside other Alliance missionaries in Pau, a community in southern
France, with French, Asian, and Angolan refugees. From 1986-1991, she
helped American missionaries Roy and Pauline Reese plant a French church
in the Communist city of Martigues, and engaged in church planting among
her beloved Cambodians in nearby Marseille.
A Lifelong Adventure
Ruth retired in 1992 after forty years of missionary service. The occasion was marked by a moving, God-honouring “welcome home” service in
Stoney Creek, Ontario. But that did not mark the end of Ruth’s usefulness,
nor of God’s faithfulness to her. Since then, her ongoing involvements
have included missionary meetings, Bible studies, Alliance women’s work,
and lay ministries at Stoney Creek Alliance Church and Paramount Drive
Alliance Church.
One day, a Cambodian stranger came up to her and asked, “Are you Ruth
Patterson?” Then he shared his story: years before, he had been in a refugee
camp and Ruth had visited him and shared the Gospel. He had been a soldier
on the Communist side and initially countered Ruth’s Gospel invitation with
a sad insistence that he had sinned too much for God to forgive him. But
eventually the hope of God’s extravagant grace broke into his tortured heart.
Ruth had left the man and his family a Bible with her name written in it,
and through that Bible and a series of other providential circumstances, his
faith was firmly established. This former soldier is now the assistant pastor
of the Cambodian church where Ruth regularly worships.
The still-bold spirit of this diminutive older woman was illustrated a few
years ago, when she was planning to participate in a prayer walk across
northern Africa. The plan was cancelled only after the Canadian government
decided that the region was too dangerous for its citizens to travel there.
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all,” Helen Keller once said.
No one can possibly write beforehand the script of a life open to the call of
God. Such a life may not be easy, but almost certainly it will not be boring,
either. It is normal to shrink back from risk in favour of the familiar. But in
the 1940s, a young woman from Mimico, Ontario, chose another route. Her
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“
No one can possibly write beforehand the script of
a life open to the call of God.
story is a shining confirmation that God holds close to Himself those who
step out into the unknown, trusting in His unseen presence. It reminds us
once again that the Great Commission of Jesus ends with an emboldening
assurance: I will be with you to the ends of the earth.
Adapted from bio written July 2014
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