1987-'91 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church From Frozen North to Sunny South God's blessing (and humour?) Full time Counselling! & lots of other things as well. Such an extraordinarily enriching environment for our entire family. While Ron gave his best to them, Floridians and "snowbirds" loved and taught our whole family much. Westminster Academy we miss you too! God is good & blessed many on the "Gold Coast" Florida, U.S.A.

1991. GOODBYE SUNNY SOUTH! HELLO COLD CANADA! ... or at least "Hello Grand Bend" which is where we landed for there a cottage had been generously loaned to us and it was close to where both Ron and I were born and raised (London, Toronto, Oakville) Every single day we heard of hundreds of layoffs and families doubling up in housing, so we were no exception. Through the particularly windy grey southern Ontario days of that Fall and Winter (where one farmer even put out a sign saying "Come on sun! You can do it!!" and our water pipes burst in mid January), Ron went knocking on new doors. He had no hesitation in looking past the discouragement of the economic recessions that both Canada and the U.S. were experiencing and seize the time as an opportunity to perhaps begin to realize a desire he had had for many years. Making solidly Biblical Counselling (through his strong Reformed Theology convictions and compassionate care) available to the people of his home area, was Ron's passion. So, with the encouragement of many American friends & the few Canadian Christians we knew, plus a supportive letter of Dr. D. James Kennedy (CRPC) and the approval of PCA's Canadian Eastern Presbytery , Ron started from scratch working out of an uninsulated cottage and introducing himself to total strangers. Out of that grew a ministry stretching to 11 regional offices , half of those covered by Doug Corriveau, an Associate Ron had taught & trained. Wellspring was eventually consolidated to the Waterloo / Woodstock area and Doug moved on to church pastoring positions with part time counselling. However, now our "Wellspring by the woods" in Waterloo and day each week in Woodstock insist on spreading again but Ron cannot be everywhere! soooo, ... the story continues. Please pray Ron's Wellspring Associates that he has helped train continue to bloom and share the load in those more distant Southern Ontario cities. Our Lord holds the future and daily directs our steps. (See main body/links of this wellspring website for more details) God is good & has blessed many through teaching and Biblical Counselling across Southern Ontario ~~~~~~~~~~~~

While "founding" Wellspring, Ron continued to be a warm and ever-giving father to his children even in the most bitter climates!!! which of course parallels spiritually with being a fine man in the harshest of economic and other challenges which we were enduring at the time. Here Ron is helping Dawna slide the slopes of frozen Lake Huron which was a two minute walk from where we were living. It was a good place to think, thank, and pray for direction. (Do I love this man or what?!)

Counselling is definitely more a depth ministry than numbers, yet we just realized that between classes and one-on-one counselling sessions Ron's helped an amazing number of people over the last decade. It would be nice to have a representative photo of the classes in various Southern Ontario churches that Ron taught and that lives changed and thank-you notes seem to indicate truly ministered to people, but alas I cannot find any such picture. Anyway, be assured that every person is important to us and we are grateful to have contributed to their (your?) spiritual growth. Ron is quiet and does not consider himself a particularly good speaker, but he is insightful, diligent, patient, educated, experienced, and ever-looking to our Lord for wisdom. Praise God for the work accomplished. By-the-way, I am a harsh critic. I look for facts beyond just impressions, so hopefully you will agree that my comments are accurate, even though I'm married to the guy. (Check out the "Testimonies" links if you are in doubt.) God is good & blessed many in towns & cities by beautiful Lake Huron.

Like I said ... whether from grand edifices, modest ones, sunday school rooms, houses, huts, streets, ... God's Word is taught and we rejoice! This is Ron teaching a very advanced course in London with students greeted daily by a bright and cheerful Vacation Bible School backdrop! The "Red Wings" hockey champs joined some lessons. (Ron's shirt) God is good & blessing in London Ontario Canada

KOROSTEN Ukraine (near Chernobyl) Students SO hard working and fun Bible classes, shovelling gravel, laying bricks, eating a little food by day ... lots of singing and bus trips to tent meetings by night. (Some people walked for miles to these meetings.) ~~~ DNEPROPETROVSK This photo is NOT after hours at the market. Food was hard to come by in 1996. Silhouetted is the Russian hammer and sickle

The work and students were much the same as in Korosten though there were no tent meetings at least while we were there. The students instead nabbed Ron (who was delighted to oblige) for after dinner hours of discussion and debate. These students have a special place in our hearts. They crowded around  the piano on the last day when Ron spontaneously ran to it to play "As A Deer". Such a beautiful moment. Then the van was jammed with as many as they could stuff into it to see us off at the train. It was definitely hard to leave. (The class picture we took is a slide and is really probaby too dark to put up. It was a larger class than Korosten) Please pray for these wonderful people. For more than 70 years, to many God did not seem good but His own who survived those years of oppression speak and sing most incredibly glorious praise.

Though years have gone by, these students remember Ron's teaching and have requested more of it. Once again Carey Outreach Ministries and our beloved supporters of Wellspring Of Life Biblical Counselling Service are sending God's Word forth as they are helping send Ron to teach in Constanta & Kiev August / September 2001 A little money, prayer, and teaching goes a LONG way in these works. God is blessing marvellously. UPDATE FALL 2001: Student Responses (Some links may be inactive as site is rebuilt/edited. L.H.)

Ron teaching in Ukraine with the help of translator Sergei. (Ukraine May 1996, Romania & Ukraine '97, '99, 2001 ...) (Ivan & others translate  in Kyiv. Our Russian? We try. Sigh) God is good & blessing in Ukraine & Romania. LATEST OVERSEAS RON REPORTS (Some links inactive during reconstruction / editing)

Hearts For Ukraine??? (1992)-'96-2001-? Ron is drawn to minister some more in Kiev and has in fact been offered seminar opportunities which he may accept. Yet he feels a stronger pull towards these people. He has taught a brief couple of classes there, and we have had regular contact for 8 years, initially because we knew Diane & Roger from Coral Ridge in Florida, but then because the Ukrainian people grabbed our hearts. Yes we care about Canadians but we cannot deny that hardly a day has gone by in years that Ron has not remembered those people and that I have not prayed for both workers  and those seeking and new to the faith. Certainly it is essential that many be praying for these people and so we continue with this

good burden, joy, and privilege. Please pray for them and us. The Lord is good & blessing POWERFULLY in Kyiv & throughout Ukraine UPDATE December 2002: The pull persisted. Ukraine Family Institute (Mike Linville: president) is scheduled to begin 1st classes January 2003 ... with Ron as Academic Dean. Ron & I (Linda) and our youngest of 3 children, Adam, moved to Ukraine August 30th 2002. Obviously the miracles continued, as they still must. Activity continues with our Wellspring Associates and various other trainees in Southern Ontario. (Check out those links or call the main phone number on Home Page.)  Ron would love to teach on his annual return to Ontario.