Bill and MaryAnn have been married almost 40 years. They have raised 5 children and now have 10 grandchildren. They have enjoyed living in Portage la Prairie for the past 25 years. During that time, Bill taught aircraft maintenance, and they both pastored a church for many of those years.
MaryAnn:
This is part of my story of God's amazing grace.
I am the youngest of 11 children born to Dutch immigrants in Southern Ontario. My parents were faithful church attenders, along with many other Dutch immigrants. They were hard working farmers. I loved country life but not the work. I was always aware of God, and at 14, I encountered a group that told me I needed Jesus. I accepted Him, but without mentoring, I allowed the cares of this world to keep me from Him. However, I couldn't keep Him from me.
A few months later, I found out I was pregnant. Wow. I was shocked. I was still a kid at 14 and very immature, naïve, and full of denial and unbelief. I can't remember telling anyone, even friends, that I was pregnant. At that time, I was part of a massive choir for healing services, and I prayed for a miracle that this pregnancy would go away. It didn't.
“I found out I was pregnant... I was still a kid at 14 and very immature, naïve, and full of denial and unbelief.”
I went with some of my family to my sister's wedding in the Netherlands. While I was there, I fainted in a store. My sister made arrangements for me to go to a doctor. Because he spoke English, I went by myself. He confirmed I was pregnant and said, "it's too bad you are so far along, you could have had an abortion." I was 3 1/2 - 4 months pregnant. Actually, abortion wasn't even on my grid. I wanted the pregnancy to disappear, but not at the cost of a life.
When I was 5 months along, my mother confronted me. I'm sure she had known for awhile. By this time my parents were close to 60 and didn't feel they could raise another child. I knew I could not raise a child on my own without an education, so before my daughter was born, I decided to place her for adoption. She was to remain in a foster home for 2 months and then be placed in an adoptive home.
In those two months, my mother struggled with having a granddaughter and not knowing what had happened to her. She also realized it would only be a few years that I would need help. We brought her home and called her “Joy”. She was the joy of my parent’s life, and she kept me more focused on how I should be living. But God wanted more than just good living.
“In those two months, my mother struggled with having a granddaughter and not knowing what had happened to her.”
Before she was two years old, we went to Thompson to visit my brother who was a born again Christian. He was excited about Jesus and in a church that was also on fire. They embraced us with the love of God, which drew me to make him Lord of my life. At that time my brother invited us to move up Thompson.
My parents gave their blessing, even though it was very hard for them to let us go. I was completely oblivious as to how difficult it was for them until my father hugged me good bye. He cried and cried. I don't think I had ever seen him cry up to that point. I think I cried half-way to Thompson.
Our life was new and exciting, surrounded by a community of believers that took us in as family and loved us unconditionally. I also learned more about Jesus and the life I had in Him. Thankfully, Joy has always had mature adults around her that loved her lots.
After a year or so, my brother suggested I move to Winnipeg so we could go to a bigger church, and I could meet someone to marry for Joy's sake. I told him God could just as easily send someone to Thompson.
Bill:
That’s why I had to move to Thompson! That was many years ago.
I was working in Winnipeg at Saint Andrews airport as an Aircraft Mechanic on helicopters. I have been involved in aviation my whole career, but this was when I just got started. The company I was working for asked if I would like to move to Thompson. For some reason, I said “yes” and was soon on the way.
When I got there, I became quite involved with the various churches in the city as I was interested in what God was doing throughout the city. After a couple of months, I heard of one small gathering that took place in the basement of a home, so I thought I’d drop in and see what was happening there.
As I looked down the row of people, one young woman caught my eye. It was confusing to me at first when I tried to figure out her situation, because the friend she was sitting with was asking for prayer for her upcoming marriage. From where I was sitting, I was not sure who was talking. I was also confused by a young five-year-old girl hanging out with this very young woman, and I could not figure out their relationship. I thought the girl was probably a younger sister with whom she was looking after that evening, but later, as I headed back up the stairs to leave, I heard someone tell the young girl that her mother was still downstairs.
I was quite intrigued with the small church in the basement, so I thought I would like to go back one more time. Of course, that young mother whom I saw the previous week was there, and it was then I discovered that she was a single mother. With what I sincerely though was a good heart, from that time on, I started praying for this young single mom and her daughter, mostly that she would find a good godly man to marry. Little did I know that I was the man!
“I started praying for this young single mom and her daughter, mostly that she would find a good godly man to marry. Little did I know that I was the man!”
When we were married and back from our honeymoon, one of the first things I did was go to a lawyer in order to legally adopt Joy because I wanted to be her father. I thought that being called her step-father would somehow create distance to our relationship that I did not want.
As time went on, we had three more children. After a few changes and moves, we ended up in Gimli where we had several great friends.
One of our best friends at the time had a foster daughter named Theresa. Theresa was a friendly and fun girl with intellectual disabilities. Eventually, Teresa got married to a young man who also struggled with intellectual disabilities, and together they had a son. We were excited for them, but within that first year, the province decided that they would have to apprehend their son, which put Theresa into state of anxiety. She traveled to Winnipeg on her own to be at a court hearing over the loss of her first son. This was extremely difficult for her, especially as she was now pregnant with her second child.
MaryAnn and I realized that the province would likely apprehend this unborn child after birth. MaryAnn phoned Child and Family Services to confirm that was the case. We decided to take a weekend out at the lake to spend a bit of time praying to see if it was right for us to adopt this child. That way, we could have our home open so that Theresa and her husband could come over at times when they would like to be with their child at our house. I could not conclude anything else. Every child born and unborn is precious in God’s sight, and He has a plan for each one.
MaryAnn:
A month later when Theresa was in labor, she called me. I ended up in the labor room with her watching this miraculous birth. I was even given the opportunity to cut the cord, which I felt was God's gift to me to help us bond. He knew that I would need this in the years ahead. The boy’s birth parents called him Kevin, and they were able to see him often that first year. This was an area that I struggled with as I like to be in control. After a 1 1/2 years, God moved us to Calgary for a few years, and by then his parents were expecting another child. With many other supports now in place, they were able to keep this child in their care.
“I was even given the opportunity to cut the cord, which I felt was God’s gift to me to help us bond. He knew that I would need this in the years ahead.”
By this time, we realized Kevin was developmentally delayed. He opened up a whole new area of child-raising challenges. He was great teacher who was willing to constantly repeat lessons for us - especially in the area of patience! The line between his understanding and desire to obey were often very blurred.
Knowing what we know now, would we do it again? I think yes. We know that God gifted him to us. And God was always there to help. We love what he has added to our lives, and our best stories usually put Kevin at the centre of them.
Bill and MaryAnn with their son, Kevin
Bill and MaryAnn Galston with their grown children