“I had basically forgiven those guys 16 years before the incident ever happened.”
Those are the words of John Bergen, the Canadian missionary who was brutally attacked with his wife, Eloise, in Africa three years ago. He said that they were “just about done in” but their spirits triumphed and their lives were saved.
He was raised in a household of abuse and neglect, so he already knew that his pain was holding him down. He just had to let go.
“I went for a two or three-week stint before God and I just had it out. When I finished that gruesome discipline, I just woke up one day to the realization that God had heard my prayer and got a miracle in my heart. I wasn’t angry at anybody after that.”
Together, the Bergens now want to tell everybody what it takes to get over all of the abuse and violence in the world today.
The B.C. couple was working for a non-profit aid organization called Hope for the Nations, helping to provide food and teach English to people in the city of Kitale, Kenya. The area had been struck by a threefold increase in the costs of food and many were starving. They were staying in a guarded farmhouse residence to be nearer to orphans and widows who were among the most affected and also to provide assistance to political refugees.
Eloise was in the middle of a bath when several men intruded on the property. Armed with machetes and clubs, they bound and raped her before they punched her, choked her, broke her jaw and cut her face. She was 66 at the time.
She required 35 stitches to her face. Somehow, she freed herself out of her bindings and was able to rescue her husband.
John, then 70, was also cut and had his jaw broken, along with his leg, knee, arm and skull. Bleeding profusely, he was tossed in a bush outside and left for dead on the ground.
Now having fully recovered physically, they tour extensively to conduct these speaking engagements. They are making two presentations at a St. Albert church this weekend. Forgiveness is just one of the three topics that they will discuss. This whole process for them is about helping people to heal and not just from vicious assaults. There are a lot of things that happen every day that deeply and negatively affect our emotions.
He admits these appearances are of a personal benefit as well.
“That may be therapeutic for me but it’s also very therapeutic for a lot of people. A lot of people understandably have huge levels of anger and bitterness. They figure if John and Eloise could forgive what they went through, then they can too.”
The rest of their presentation will involve two topics. The first is the miracle of their rescue, which he refers to as “supernatural intervention on the part of our Lord and obviously some angels that got us out of that predicament.”
Finally, they will discuss the plight of the African orphan “who basically has no future, no chance unless people like you and I express enough compassion to make it happen for them.” He recently purchased a three-acre plot of land on which he intends to build an orphanage. Victory Life Church is helping with that fundraising effort that will also see a church put up on the property.
Pastor Scott Debrecen is grateful for the chance to have these extraordinary people come to tell their amazing story and deliver this powerful message.
“A lot of us, I think, struggle with unforgiveness issues. Whether they are justifiably set or not, we still have a hard time moving forward.”
John and Eloise Bergen’s presentations will take place on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Victory Life Church is located at 20, 94 McKenney Ave. Call 780-460-5772 or visit www.victorylifechurch.ca for more information.
You can read more about the Bergens on their website at www.bergensmission.com.
