Theo and Maria needed wood for this winter. Theo, at present 74 years young, healthy and strong, had already looked around here and there. One day in beginning of April that year he prayed for it. He remembered God His promise in Malachi 3 where stands “that you can test God when giving tenths and sacrifices”. He prayed frankly: “Lord, I give You faithfully my tenths and sacrifices; You promise that in that case You would open the windows of heaven and pour blessings in abundance over me. I ask this only once: I need wood badly”.

Two days later, at 11.40 exactly (Theo remembers it still very well: Maria just had said that diner would be ready in 10 minutes). Theo’s brother Raymond called him. He asked: “Phil (Theo is called ‘Phil’ in the family), do you want wood?” Theo answered affirmative and, in spite of the fact that diner was almost ready, went immediately to have a look. His brother’s daughter had a house built and on the plot behind her new house stood a couple of high and dangerous trees. If something would happen to them, they would fall on the new house. The owner of that plot had therefore commissioned someone to cut the trees down and in small pieces. He looked for someone who needed wood… Just like that, for nothing!

Theo accepted it of course with joy and drove back home to eat. Now Theo still had to solve a transport problem. He agreed with the men who cut the trees into small pieces to transport those with their trailer for little money. Theo had, however, himself to carry the pieces into the trailer. The young men and the owner of the plot were astonished about the fact he still managed that easily. The owner of the plot was approximately just as old as Theo but couldn’t almost do anything anymore. Thus Theo had the opportunity of telling him about his relationship with his heavenly Papa who keeps him healthy. The carriages of wood were put down before Theo and Maria’s house. Theo carried the heavy blocks personally to the back of the house, this time as a testimony to his neighbours. He cleaved everything himself and piled it up nicely: it proved to be approximately 8 cubic meters of wood, a quantity with which Theo and Maria can heath the house for two years… and that ‘just as if’ it was for nothing! No, actually not ‘just as if’, because Theo and Maria give faithfully their tenths and sacrifices and are abundantly blessed for that!