The Lena Hendrickson Story

As read by Stephen Hendrickson

at the Dedication of

The Lena and George Hendrickson Library
Evandeoski Teoloski Fakultet
Osijek, Croatia
June 10, 2006

Where does the story of this day begin?

One could trace its roots in many directions, but one of the “beginnings” of the story of this day goes back to an ill mother, pregnant with her third child, who took her doctor’s advice to “return to the old country where the air is more fresh” than that of Hamilton, Ontario, just outside of Toronto, Canada. She returned with her children, Matt and Lena, to the village of Plavna, across the Danube from Vukovar, in Voivodina, then part of Hungary. Sadly, she died sixteen days after giving birth to John, and her three children, orphans as they were, were taken in by their grandparents, German and Croatian, and nurtured and raised in the small farming village for the next six years. This is how Lena Hendrickson, born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, came to spend her childhood years from age four to ten in this area. Her father, having supported the children from his job in Canada, returned, and remarried, after a courtship of some hour and a half, and sent for the children to return to Canada on one of the last boats to leave Europe before the outbreak of the hostilities of World War 11.

The story of Lena’s years in Canada is poignant, and often tearful. Her stepmother, the parent of three children not her own, and away from her family and friends in Europe, was frustrated and unhappy and on all too frequent occasion took out her frustration on the children, on Lena in particular. Their father was no saint, and his physical abuse of sons led to John’s running away from home on several occasions, ultimately becoming a foster child. All of this to say that the family home in Canada was neither tranquil nor nurturing. There are many chapters to this story, and to hear it completely, you would need to ask Lena to “give her testimony,” which has stirred many who have heard it. In short summary, however, Lena, raised a strict Roman Catholic, dedicated her life to Christ in a Pentecostal mission in Hamilton, and ultimately left Canada to study at Zion Bible Institute.

At Zion Bible Institute, Lena expected to become a missionary, following in the tradition of many single women who gave their lives to ministry on the mission field. There, however, she met George Hendrickson, the love of her life, who she married just after graduation. They entered the ministry, pioneering a church in Co Connecticut, and then serving as pastor of three other Assemblies of God churches in New England, Readfield, Maine, Sanford, Maine and Lynn, Massachusetts for over forty years. While in Sanford, George served for several years as Secretary of the Northern New England District of the Assemblies of God, and later was a Presbyter in the Southern New England District while pastoring at the Lynn church.

In 1985, now both in their fifties, Lena and George decided to visit “the old country,” then Yugoslavia, a Communist state, to see relatives and remember the past. When he heard they were going to Yugoslavia, Rev. Samuel Bombara, a pastor colleague in the Boston area who had visited, preached and taught in Yugoslavia for several years, insisted that they must preach in a Pentecostal church while they were there. Having received the necessary permissions (required in a Communist country), they ministered in Novi Sad, at the congregation pastored by Rev. Dragutin VoIf, starting a relationship with the Volfs that is cherished to this day. While in Novi Sad, Rev. Volf told George and Lena, “you must meet my son-in-law, Dr. Peter Kuzmic, who is President of Evandeoski Teoloski Fakultet in Osijek.” A meeting “of one half hour” was
arranged, and they met in Peter and Viasta’s apartment on the campus.

Peter had recently returned from an evangelical conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had met someone who had encouraged him to get in touch with Stephen Hendrickson because of books that were newly published by Hendrickson Publishers. As they met, Peter asked, “do you know this Stephen Hendrickson, I have a letter here for him?” George and Lena were proud to point out that, not only did they know him, he was their son! In fact, the Hendrickson home had been the first “corporate headquarters” of Christian Book Distributors and Hendrickson Publishers for nearly three years, during which it gradually took over the basement, garage, driveway, and during the day, virtually the entire living area of the Hendrickson home, until moving out just four years earlier. This visit began a relationship of Dr. Kuzmic with the Hendrickson family, Christian Book Distributors and Hendrickson Publishers that continues to this day.

This first visit was not without its complications. Having flown into Austria, and then driven to Novi Sad, George and Lena were unable to locate the hotel where they had made a reservation. Being lost was not something unusual to Lena, but it was quite frustrating to George, further complicated by the language barrier. That evening, as he prayed, telling God, “I’ve come here for Lena,” George felt God tell him that there was ministry for them to do here. Attentive to this call, they returned each year until George became ill with cancer in 1991, visiting as many churches as possible on each trip, speaking in the chapel and classes at ETF, and fostering a close connection with the Lynn Assembly of God church and the Hendrickson family.
One of the churches they visited was led by a pastor who did not believe that women should be allowed to preach. However, as Lena was able to speak some Hungarian and Croatian, she was asked, not to preach, but to “share her testimony” before George would preach. Some who would later hear her testimony would wonder that there was time for George to preach after she gave her testimony. Other pastors ultimately encouraged both Lena and George to preach, as ftill ministers of the Gospel.

Other “beginnings” of this day? Dr. Robert Cooley, President of Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, called Dr. Kuzmic to take an endowed distinguished professorship in World Missions and European Studies that would allow him to teach one semester, and have the rest of the year for missions work. Soon after, New Europe Vision, the United States partner organization, was formed, with three academic clergy as Directors, Dr. Kuzmic, Dr. Cooley and Dr. Bombara, plus a layperson, Stephen Hendrickson. In conjunction with the work of NEV, Peter suggested that Steve come to the Balkans to see the ministry, leading to trips in 1998, 2000 and 2005. Out of these exploratory trips, a vision was born which ultimately led to completion of the fruit we are participating in today.

Finally, a word about one who has “gone on before us.” George was taken home to be with the Lord in 1991, but we would not be here today without him — his love for the Lord, for ministry, and for the people of the towns and villages surrounding this area. His full partner in ministry, Lena is here. Although George was normally the preacher, it was certainly true that every church that called the Hendricksons to minister were the recipients of not one, but two ministers — George and Lena. Lena’s ministry has continued to this day, particularly her ministry of pastoral care. At 77, she still works at Christian Book Distributors and Hendrickson Publishers as credit manager, but is also known as CBD’s resident “chaplain,” often visiting those who are ill in the hospital and offering pastoral ministry to those who are in need. Her life ministry, as parent, teacher, minister, example and friend, is celebrated here today.

SOLI DEO GLORIA!