Last Updated: Tuesday - 07/13/2010

God guided his missionary path

Peter Thompson

EDMONTON - "There are opportunities that God gives to us in ways that we cannot even begin to ask for or imagine," said Peter Thompson.

Speaking at the 25th anniversary of the Edmonton Catholic Charismatic Prayer Breakfast, Thompson recalled how God healed his marriage and has given him numerous opportunities to live out his childhood dream of being a missionary in Africa.

As a youngster, Thompson desired to be a missionary in Africa. Back in those days, the 1950s, the only way to be a missionary was to be a priest or a religious brother. Eventually he joined the seminary, but decided the priesthood was not his calling and dropped out.

Years later he got married. He and his wife Madeleine have three married children and 13 grandchildren.

SERVE THE LORD

"I brought into our marriage a lot of problems," Thompson admitted. Despite their marriage in crisis, Madeleine still hungered for God. She was invited to a prayer group in 1974. When she invited Peter to come along to a prayer meeting, he witnessed men and women whose love for Jesus was clearly evident. Seeing lives transformed by Jesus inspired Thompson to come back to the Church and serve the Lord.

Over the years he had several missions in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and other African nations, teaching and ministering in the area of apologetics.

For those compelled by God to experience something grand, Thompson encouraged missionary work.

"You can go on a short-term mission. It gives us an opportunity to experience the Church in the world. I thank God by his grace and his mercy that he brought me back to the very heart of his Church.

"I thank God that through these years he has put upon my heart a great love for his Church through the charismatic renewal," said Thompson.

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