Cast your bread on the waters - it shall return after manydays. .

Daniel and his wife Eva recently visited us from Washington, DC. It was our third meeting in more than 40 years. We marvelled at God’s workmanship in the life and profession of His servant. God gave sweet fellowship over treasured hours!

‘Don’t you dare read this English bible, it will spoil your Hindu faith’, Daniel’s father threatened. Daniel still hungered to know the living God, during his secondary school years in a Muslim country, but noone told him the joyful, gospel news. 

However, he enjoyed twiddling with the family short-wave radio in his room. One night he heard the Far East Broadcasting Station in Manila, telling of the substitutionary death of God’s Son and His resurrection from the dead. It gripped Daniel. Never had he heard such remarkable news, and never had his heart been stirred.. He repented of his sin, opened  his heart to receive the Son of God, Who cleansed him from a prodigal life, as a young man. God performed a miracle. 

He was now a believer, born again, a new creation, a Christian.

Each night while finishing his study, he was taught the precious foundation truths of the Word of God and he grew.  At first, he subsisted on the milk of the word, growing quietly in his faith in the Lord. Then came deep teaching, the meat of the word, and Daniel developed muscle and sinew as his faith developed. God heard his prayer for a scholarship to Australia to study engineering. He achieved his ambition when he was chosen under the Colombo Plan. God had begun to mould this life.

In Adelaide, Daniel forfeited a university blue in hockey to help many, young believers in the OCF (Overseas Christian Fellowship). He often came to our home very, very late at night- to pray. After naming lists of young people in prayer, he would suddenly recall that ‘I must study tonight for exams in the morning.’ Often I heard his ‘old bomb’ drive off, and I would seize some sleep. We wondered what the Lord had in store with such an unusual, yet promising student.

Daniel, having graduated as an engineer, commenced his Master’s degree, before he was compelled to return home, his time having expired. He received a scholarship for one of America’s finest engineering universities, taking his doctorate in water conservation. Although we lost touch with him for many years, the Lord kept him in the hollow of his hand, moulding him in the likeness of the Son of God. 

Twenty seven years ago, we visited the Muslim country where he presided over the conservation of water. God had honoured him, allowing him the privilege of advising also Singapore on this important provision. He also advised the nation of Israel on the essential preservation of water, today still a pressing necessity.  Daniel as a statesman ensured the regular, adequate supply of drinking water for several great nations. Daniel knew personally the One, Who said, ‘I am the water of Life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

In this visit we met Eva and their first babe, now a graduate surgeon. Daniel told how the Lord had led him in the Indian church, which God had visited with a movement of His Holy Spirit. The Lord humbled and blessed many young people in this church, who eventually became the elders in the Tamil-speaking church. God gave us sweet fellowship in Christ Jesus as we renewed our oneness in the Lord. 

Daniel’s ministry expanded as he moved overseas to become part of a world structure that would provide water resource for nations, and fund these immense projects. Could the Lord safeguard one who is handling vast sums, demanding accountability - and still maintain a simple faith and a holy, uncomplicated walk with the Lord? The succeeding years showed how Daniel’s God did that for him. He will do it for you!

Years later, we returned to Singapore en route to South Korea to teach English at a Presbyterian Theological Seminary.  ‘Where’s Daniel?’ we asked. Those who knew him as a student in Australia had lost all contact with this man of God. ‘We have no idea,' everyone responded. ‘We long to see him.’ they replied

On our last days in Seoul, South Korea, we shopped in several department stores, when Gwenda noticed an Indian gentleman, resembling Daniel. She whispered to me, ‘Is that possibly Daniel?' He turned, spotted us, and shouted ‘Dr /Mrs Steward. Whatever are you doing here?’ as he rushed to greet and hug us. We enjoyed a glorious reunion. We responded with ‘Daniel, What are you doing in Seoul? Where is Eva?  How is your family?  How is your walk with the Lord?’ 

‘I leave on the first plane in the morning for Indonesia, but first I will attend the all-night prayer meeting. Daniel, the man of prayer, had only grown in the intervening years. ‘Our home is in Washington, where Eva cares for our three children. I am building a dam in East Java under War Reparations, so that Japan will bear the cost of 700 million dollars. Daniel’s signature was the final seal of the transaction, that provided water for millions of Javanese. Remarkably it was where our hospital had been, and near Malang, where John had taught Old Testament for some years also.

The store was about to close. Gwenda and I prayed. It was a treat to hear this man of prayer blessing the Lord for joy unspeakable and full of glory for his walk with the risen Christ. As we prayed, we embraced; and we wept. We watched as Daniel slipped out of the department store and out of our life again for another 13 years.  Heaven’s joy filled our wondering hearts. We had cast our bread upon the waters - during student days.

Daniel telephoned a week ago that he and Eva were in our city. ‘I’ve brought my wife to meet old friends of  student years. It is her first visit and my return one to Adelaide.’ We rejoiced to see them, to welcome them and to hear how God had led.

‘Tell us Daniel what you have done over these last years since we met in Seoul.’

‘I have been in Mainland China for 8 years. Yes, I have acquired some Mandarin, so that I understand more than I speak. I have engineered some dams providing water for vast populations, where the Governors told me ‘Our people in these immense cities will die, unless you give us water.’ On return, the Governors personally welcomed him, with accolades, sending him to meet high officials in the nation.

Each project cost 2 billion and 3 billion dollars. He glorified the Lord for leading him in the construcion of these immense water conservations. He had a pastor’s heart, mixing with the humblest believers, encouraging them in a holy walk with the Lord.

‘We know Dr Daniel you are a Christian,’ they told him. His life was Christ-centred. He mixed with the house churches, strengthening them in their suffering, and calling on them to continue with the Lord. 'There are 100 million born-again believers in the house churches,' a true second Pentecost growth in the church’s history. 

Daniel recorded the moments for his family. He read the appropriate Scriptures to us; Eva and Gwenda prayed; then Daniel, Peter and I prayed, commending each other to the Lord. After embracing with many tears, Daniel spoke, ‘We shall not see each other on earth again. We shall be united in heaven at our Lord Jesus Christ’s feet.   We waved - Daniel and Eva slipped away. God’s engineer, mighty visionary and man of prayer, who forged the life-line of millions through his spiritual and engineering skill.

The word says, ‘Cast your bread on the waters, and it shall return to you in many days.’  Teach the young men, strengthen their faith, build their vision, pray with them. God has His Daniels here as well as in the Old Testament.

Isaiah said, ’so shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please.(Isaiah 55:11)