Torunn, Geir and their three children are in Bible College as a
result of a life calling that has grown big. They have sold the house
and boat, quit their jobs and comfortable Norwegian background to
become missionaries in Africa. The whole process started 15 years ago. »It all started when we met Bruno Knutzen (former principal at DPBC, Ed.) 15 years ago«, says Torun and Geir.
»We talked with him because we’ve had a missional calling to Africa since childhood but were unsure of when we should go. The conversation left us considering attending bible college but it didn’t really got further, perhaps because the time just wasn’t right.«
Instead, they both trained Torun to be a teacher and Geir a carpenter. They started a family and made a home with the children Stian, Caroline and Oliver, who over the years has grown to be respectively 13, 10 and 4 years.
15 years old calling was awakened
But after 15 years God began to call again. There was a turmoil of thought and mind as if God wished that something would happen.
»We knew in a way that God wanted something from us but didn’t know quite what he was up to. So we began to ask that God may show us what to do,«" says Torun.
»I came to think of the name Bruno Knutzen again,« she continues, »I just could not remember who he was - singer, musician, preacher or something else.«
But Geir came to the rescue: »I remembered Danish Pentecostal Bible College, so we went online and read about the school. And suddenly one day, after we had prayed much about it, a pop-up appeared - 'Visit the school two days free. «
Two-day visits were essential The only two days Torun and Geir could visit the school was two days during the winter holiday, and it is usually completely impossible to get ferry tickets from Norway to Denmark during that period. But everything went through smoothly and suddenly they sat on the ferry to Denmark.
»I said to God, if this is not the right place for us then you make me quite uneasy and otherwise you have to give me peace of soul and mind if this is where we need to be. And already on the way there I had such a peace in me and it continued throughout the trip,« says Torun.
»Yet I said to God that he must give us a prophecy. I had never received a prophecy before, but if we were to take the children out of school, quit our jobs, sell everything and travel here, we had to have a confirmation from above.«
And the last day they were at school they received such prophecy. It gave the family the final push against Denmark and the big decision to take two years at bible college and leave the incumbent lives at home.
Eighth of the eighth O-eight at eight o'clock
The figure 8 is in biblical terms for a new start. Significantly, it was on 8th of the 8th /08 at 8 o’clock that Torun, Geir and their three children rolled into DPBC ready to start from scratch.
»It is clear that to travel to a foreign place in another country is difficult,« says Torun. »The children would start in the new school with new friends and a new language.«
»But God provided for us,« intentions Geir with conviction.
»All the mountain high concerns we had and prejudices we had about God's calling was made to shame. And the life we have lived and the education we received, we can see, has been a part of God's school.«
All should have an aha experiences
Torun leans forward and says: »At the same time we experience, after we started at the college, that there are many things we should have learned long ago, things I wished that we had been taught in our church.«
»For example, to wait and trust in God. And have ‘aha-experiences’ - could that not have been taught us earlier«, she smiles and says with enthusiasm: »I wish that everyone had the opportunity to go to bible college!«
»Yes, especially when you are adult and lose the enthusiasm of youth, when the job, the children takes over,« says Geir and states: »It is a paradox when you say you do not have time for God, time to read and study, but has time to watch TV several hours a week.«
The calling is not a crucifixion The Huuse family doesn’t see the calling for missionaries as a waiver.
»It is not a fasting where we are sitting in black clothes and throwing ashes on their heads, like,« says Torun with gestures.
»I thought I would be unhappy if we had to leave friends and family, 'crucify myself’, as it is written. Instead, I who have been a Christian my whole life and thought I’d seen it all, set new horizons. Now I see how my life so far simply has been taking a cup-full of the endless ocean.«
»Yes, a calling is really just something natural« supplements Geir. »Like a child growing up and at a time begins school. So is also the calling - it grows and then it must be released to live - live to the fullest.«