I was about six years old going to seven. It is along time ago and I can’t chronologically put together all the pieces of my spiritual journey. One day (I guess in heaven) God will help me put everything together and I will see His hands in my life. There are two particular events from that time in my life I can remember very clearly. Two stories that have driven me towards God.
Our family lived in the city of Basel at the time. I lived there from age four to nine. The apartment building we lived in was across a big reformed church that at the time enjoyed much activity. Back in those days the YMCA "boy scouts" were very active and counted more more then thousand children in the city at the time. Of course I had no idea that I later would become part of this movement in 1975 and that it would change my life forever.
I remember I used to play in front of that church a lot, I learned to drive a bike there and we (me and my younger brother) spent many great hours there. One day after crossing the busy street to go and play there I heard singing from a small cellar (basement) window. I was curious and went to peak in. There was a group of children and a young man singing. I was instantly drawn to this group and wanted to be very much a part of the singing. The song was "God has the whole earth, in His hands" I remember it like it was Yesterday how my soul was stirred. The leader of the group saw me peaking in and ask me to join. I first declined because I was shy, but I really wanted to participate and  and  when the  man asked me again I went down  to be part of my first "Chinderstund" children’s meeting. I cannot remember if I went again, but later when I was seven I joined the YMCA boy-scouts (CEVI Jungschar). There I met the same man again. He was one of the  early people who guided me on my spiritual journey. That day in the celler singing songs and listening to a story about how much God loves me touched my soul very deep and would leave something behind that would not go away. A seed was cast.
Before I took the path where I would learn about the Bible, about God, Jesus and what a Christian is I would have another encounter with God that nearly scared me to death…..