Letters From Grandpa #415

LETTERS FROM GRANDPA

• 415

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will be the story of David and Svea Flood and their daughter Anna as told by Jim Cymbala in his book Fresh Power. I pray that the fact that this sad story has a happy ending will be an encouragement to you.

The story begins in 1921 when a Swedish couple named David and Svea Flood felt called of God to go as missionaries to the Belgium Congo. They took with them their two year old son. At a mission station there they were joined by the Ericksons and targeted a village where the Gospel of Christ had never been preached. The chief of that village refused to grant them permission to preach but the missionaries remained undeterred. They built mud huts about a half mile away and prayed for an open door. The only person from the village they had contact with was a young boy who sold them chickens and eggs. Svie Flood prayed that if God would not allow them to convert the village, that He would he at least allow them to lead this one boy to Christ. God honored her prayer and the young boy became a Christian.

The Ericksons grew discouraged and returned to the mission station, but the Floods remained in their mud hut praying for an open door. It never came! Svea was pregnant at the time and gave birth to a little girl whom they named Anna. Svea, however, had been sick with malaria and other tropical diseases and died seventeen days after giving birth. At that point something snapped in her husband David. He turned his back on his calling and also on God. He went to the mission station, gave his daughter to the Ericksons and returned to Sweden with his son as an embittered unbeliever.

Next, as incredible as it sounds, the Ericksons got sick and also died. Fortunately for baby Anna she was adopted by American missionaries and brought to the United States. She grew up in S. Dakota. Anna became a Christian, went to Bible College, and married a minister. They had two children and moved to Seattle where he became the president of a college.

There is a large Scandinavian population in that area and one day Anna received a Swedish magazine in the mail. Even though she could not read the text she leafed through the pages looking at the pictures. Suddenly she was stopped cold by the picture of a grave with a crude cross. On the cross were two words “Svea Flood”. Anna knew the story of her birth and rushed to the college where a professor, who was fluent in Swedish, translated the story. He said it was about a little boy who was converted to Christ by a missionary couple who only stayed there a brief time. This was a picture of the missionary’s grave who won that boy to Christ. The boy went away to school and returned as an educator to his village. He started a school there and won every student to Christ. The students took the Gospel home to their parents and eventually there were 600 converts to Christ in that single village. Even the old chief himself became a Christian.

For their 25th Wedding Anniversary Anna and her husband went to Sweden. Her chief agenda was to find her father if he was still alive. He was still living, and she did find him. He had remarried and had four other children. Now, however, he was old and near death when Anna came into his room. She had been warned not to talk about God. Her father was so embittered that he would not allow the name of God to be mentioned in his house. Anna stepped into the room and said “papa”. He turned on his bed and said: “Anna, my Anna, I never meant to give you away”. She replied: “It’s all right papa, God worked it for good”. He stiffened and said: “Don’t say that name, He took everything from me.” She said: “No papa, God did not take everything from you. Your work was not in vain, mama’s work was not in vain”. Then she told of the little boy who led 600 people to Christ in the village. The old man began to sob, and thankfully repented of his bitterness and unbelief. He died a short time later.

A couple of years later Anna and her husband attended an international conference in England. Representatives were there from all over the world. A young man was there from the Belgium Congo (which, as you know, is now known as Zaire). He told of a great revival there with thousands of believers being baptized into Christ. After the session Anna went forward to meet him. She said: “I know there is no way you would have known them, but have you ever heard of David and Svea Flood. The man’s eyes filled with tears and he said: “I am the little boy that your mother led to Christ and in our village. The name of your mother is remembered with honor for she is the one who led us to the One Who gives us eternal life”.

Here is a personal message from the Apostle Peter: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” (1 Pet. 4:12-16)

Paul had this positive message to say about suffering: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worthy comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us”! (Rom. 8:18)

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce