During holidays on Kangaroo Island, we looked out to the blue skies of Emu Bay, where a sailing ship anchored as the crew furled their sails. To our surprise we recognised the replica of Captain Cook's 'Endeavour', on its way from Perth (Western Australia) to Sydney (New South Wales). Later we heard the captain chose to stay overnight in the calm bay before travelling across the often-rough Investigator Strait to Port Adelaide.

Family records tell of a similar ship which brought my forebears from Germany in the early 1800's. They sought religious freedom in an unrestrained country, and a state with conditions and climate like their native land.

I remember the day our son and daughter-in-law (John and Sandi) accompanied us to the Barossa Valley (South Australia) , where German pioneers settled, to see the area where John's great-great-grandfather lived and laboured.

The Museum at Tanunda (situated in the Valley) fascinated us with the wooden trunks in which our forebears brought their earthly goods. The prize possessions seemed to be the huge family bibles, hymn books 12 cms thick, black wedding gowns, family albums and records. White wedding gowns became fashionable in the early 1900's. There were farm tools, and butter churns, hand-operated washing machines, and vessels and utensils, all home-made for the mother in her kitchen.

From there we drove to Light Pass to the well-kept grave-yard beside the Strait Gate Church, which my great grand-father commenced, and helped to build. We leaned on the iron railings to read the bible verses engraved in German on the tomb-stones, together with the birth and death records.

Gustav Julius Rechner disembarked at Port Adelaide on his 18th birthday and in 1849 became the teacher at a small school at Light Pass. He also later served as Pastor, and farmed a small allotment. He worked long into the night to produce his own teaching aids, which he freely shared to enable children to receive an adequate education.

This young man laboured faithfully as teacher and Pastor to Lutheran children and their parents. His influence spread through the Valley, where the people loved and respected him. Yet despite his busy ministry, Gustav was very lonely. He had left behind in Germany his special friend, Bertha, who was still a member of another church. But he did not know that, of his own free will, and by God's grace, she had come to trust in Jesus Christ as her Lord.

One midnight he was awakened from deep sleep in his little home-made hut. His friend, Mueller, shook him awake.

'She's come. She's come. The boat is in.'

Gustav rubbed his eyes in bewilderment, as though from a dream.

'Who? Who? Tell me.'

A message arrived that 'Your bride has come. The boat is in Port Adelaide. Hurry.' Gustav jumped from his bed, still amazed at this surprising news.
But how could he hurry in his bullock wagon.

Mueller helped him harness the faithful beasts to the wagon, which they pulled for 75 kms to the Port. What a joyful surprise for Gustav to see Bertha waiting on the shore, having sailed alone from Germany, without family. Bertha had converted to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and became Gustav's loving wife, his companion and encourager, and mother to their large family.

Gustav and Bertha's eldest daughter, Ernestine, eventually married and she named her youngest daughter, Bertha, who married a young Pastor and gave birth to my brother and me.

On this nostalgic occasion, the four of us acknowledged the privilege of being part of this family, and marvelled at the sovereignty of God in individual conversion, and directing lives so that we could stand there and sing

'PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW'.

Nurture your family in the love of God. Give them a heritage to value and the bible to treasure.

Will you kindly drop a line to Gwenda hgsteward@optusnet.com.au