Tessa de Ruiter                                                                                                                                  


                                           All glory and thanks to Jesus, my Saviour and Lord!



                                                                                                          This photo was taken in 2008 in Emmerich, Germany on my 70th birthday

At 72 years of age emeritus minister

Tessa, born in Scotland, brought up in Wales, gave her heart to the Lord in her early teens, in the Baptist Chapel in Brynmawr, a town in South Wales, and became soon a diligent student in the Bible. She attended several 'Scripture Union' conferences in Wales and received several certificates which she still treasures. When she was about 17 or 18 years she was invited to speak in services in Chapels in Brynmawr and surrounding villages. Often a deacon or elder of a church – even from chapels across the hills or in the valleys – knocked on the door of her home in Brynmawr on Saturday to ask her if she could speak the following Sunday morning in the chapel service. In the strong, cold winters with much snow there was sometimes a knock on the door in the evening. The question was if Tessa could speak the next morning in the service. This often meant praying and preparing the sermon during the nightly hours and then the following morning early up to the town where she was expected to minister. Some of those sermons are still in her files. In her own Taborchapel in Brynmawr she also became active in youth services. For some time she and her friend ministered in an home in the village of Crickhowell, about 6 miles from Brynmawr, where difficult boys received a re-education. As a result of this ministry some boys accepted the Lord as their Saviour.

 In 1963 she married a Dutch young man, just graduated from the Bible College of South Wales. Because he was Pentecostal some in her Baptist Church turned against her. But her love was strong and in September 1963 they got married in her Church by her pastor, the Rev. Jim Webber. With her husband and her first child, then a baby of 3 months, she went in 1967 to Holland. Three children were born in Holland a little later and when the children were in their early teens she started ministering in the chapters of Women's Aglow in Holland. Much work again, now devoting many hours to prepare sermons in the Dutch language. Beside a greatly blessed ministry of the Word of God, she accepted to become the president of several local chapters of Women's Aglow. Because she was asked to minister in the churches, she also received recognition as an ordained minister of the Dutch Pentecostal Movement. Teun had already been for many years a minister of this national church and a member of the national board. When they accepted a pastorate of a local Pentecostal Church she also developed a much appreciated ministry as songleader.

Now, 72 years of age, she feels that the time has come to finish her active ministry and this year she has been given an official emeritus status in the national church fellowship.

We give thanks to the Lord for her fruitful life in the Kingdom of God and wish her still many happy and effective years.

September 2010, Leusden, Holland

English: You are welcome to write me about your pain, disappointment ofr problems. Please e-mail me.....Tessa de Ruiter

Site 'Inspiratie  & Inzicht' (Inspiration & Insight' ) since 1997 /  this page since february 2000 / update 9 January 2011 / Tessa de Ruiter / The Netherlands