Kerren's Blessed Encounter
- Blair Shunk
- May 22
- 3 min read
Updated: May 26
“When I discovered your words, I devoured them.
They are my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name,
Lord, God Almighty.” Jeremiah 15:16
Several years ago the Houston OCF had a booth set up during a major oil industry conference where hundreds attended including scores of college, mostly engineering students.
Fifty young people were from The University of Texas Permian Basin; UTPB, Odessa, Texas. Among them was a female engineering student from Gabon named Kerren.
She didn’t know that we would be there and was really surprised that we were.
Kerren: “When I turned the corner to enter the booths with my friends I could not believe my eyes; the people who gave me one of their Bibles three years ago when I was a freshman at the University of Houston were there! I rushed over and met John Bird, Bill Humppi, Jay Sims and Pat Hudson who were manning the booth. I could not wait to show them that very Bible that I’ve carried with me everywhere in the last three years and tell them how much it changed my life and how much it means to me!
John: I have never seen a Bible so personally highlighted, so written in, (both English and French), hundreds of underlined verses, pages literally falling out, …and so utterly cherished. I got teary eyed as she thumbed through the tattered pages and she explained to me the ‘why and when’ of each note and highlight. I was overwhelmed and blessed at the same time.
Silently I thanked God for letting me experience this encounter. Suddenly all 26 years of the OCF existence came into to a sharp focus with this divine appointment and this unmeasurable blessing.
She turns another page highlighted and even written on a blue sticky note beneath it for even more personal emphasis and there is Isaiah 41:10 Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
She moves her fingers over the scripture as I begin to read it and she joins in. Then I ask her, “Why is this scripture so important to you? What was going on in your life when you read it? She answers solemnly, “I was going through depression and it helped bring me out of it. Even today sometimes I will write it on my palm as a daily reminder when I am having a challenging day.”
As we continue to go through the pages she points to Mike Chaffin’s testimony, God Watches Over Us, with his reference to Joshua 1:9, “…be strong and be courageous!”, also highlighted
Adjacent to Mike's testimony is Rick Stone’s A New Life and a New Attitude with his reference to James 4:7-8 “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come closer to God, and God will come close to you.”
Why these two testimonies? Perhaps it is because Mike and Rick are both petroleum engineers which Kerren will be in December. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man (men) sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
Finally, as she turned the pages to Proverbs, my eyes fell on numerous color highlighted notes below the last chapter, specifically about the last few verses beginning with verse 10, A Wife of Noble Character. “What is this,” I asked and she answered almost reverently, “This is the kind of woman I want to be.”
“How sweet are your promises to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
Psalms 119:103
If you found Kerren's story to be a meaningful testimony, please support the Oilfield Christian Fellowship Calgary by attending an event. You can also donate a Bible or a Case of Bibles to be placed in a camp or given to an Oilfield Worker.
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