ZAMZAM’S Faith in the Middle
A True Story for Children
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
”Then it happened!!! I didn’t know how to read a calendar, but the date was April 17th. The year was 1941, and it was very early in the morning before we could see the sun shining. I was 4 years old—really 4 and 1/2. Laurence was 10, Eleanor was 8, Evelyn was 7, Wilfred was 3, and Lois was 1. Mama was 41. We were sound asleep right in the middle of our rooms. CRASH! BOOM! A loud explosion shook our beds! It was louder than thunder! Our sink crashed to the floor and the mirror fell off the wall and broke into hundreds of pieces. Mama told us to be careful, but she stepped right on some glass. Her foot started bleeding really bad and she didn’t have time to take care of it.
“And then CRASH! BANG! BOOM! The explosions and shaking happened all over again. And again! The floor tipped to one side. We could hardly stand up. Wilfred, Lois, and I cried, but Mama was very calm. She didn’t know what was happening, but she told us to put on our lifejackets and to be brave in Jesus. The ZAMZAM kept exploding again and again. The floor slanted more and more. It smelled like firecrackers. It was a bad, bad morning!
“A man with blood running down his face came to our door. He told us that a warship was firing big shells at us and wanted to sink us to the bottom of the ocean. Our ZAMZAM was right in the middle of a war!!!
“Now we had to remember everything we had practiced in our lifeboat drill like tying our lifejackets tight and going as fast as we could to our lifeboat station. Laurence, Eleanor, and Evelyn were big helpers, but I couldn’t tie my own lifejacket. Wilfred and Lois couldn’t do it either. We needed a lot of help and we were scared…………………..That was when Mama was the most brave of all. She just looked at us with lots of love and prayed out-loud, “Lord, save us. And take care of our Daddy if this is our last morning.””
“Mama picked up Lois and knew that Wilfred needed to be carried too, but her arms were already full. I got as close to Mama as I could and held onto her skirt real tight. I wished someone could carry me…………I didn’t like anything about this morning. I heard screaming and crying. I saw the blood dripping from Mama’s foot. I saw Mama limp and I held onto her skirt even tighter. We all stayed as close to each other as we could. This was a bad morning!”
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
This true story, “Faith in the Middle” is Ms. Holwerda’s account, from a 4 1/2year-old’s perspective, of her family’s 1941 experience and its impact on her life. What was to have been an ordinary ocean voyage, turned disastrous. Her words vividly capture her Mother’s remarkable courage and faith which buoyed her with extra strength to survive the traumatic ordeal.
Ms. Holwerda was traveling with her five brothers and sisters and Mother aboard the ZAMZAM. They were enroute to Africa to join their Father who was already serving as a missionary there. Expectations were for a safe and happy trip.
Early in the morning of April 17, 1941, the ZAMZAM was attacked by a German Raider. With shells whizzing overhead and exploding into the ship, the children awakened to a nightmare. Their Mother’s prayers and unwavering reminder that “Jesus loves you,” calmed them as they abandoned ship, climbed into their lifeboat, and were lowered to the ocean below. However, nothing could prepare them for the adventure ahead, and the emotions of a very frightened little girl come alive through this story.
“Faith in the Middle” not only covers their miraculous survival, but also the grief and anguish of her Father as he hears the news that the ZAMZAM is lost with his entire family aboard. Adults, as well as children, will find it hard to put down this book once they pick it up.
About the Author
Although this is Luella Faith Holwerda’s first published work, her literary skill has always found expression in writings for family, spontaneous poetry, motivational gimmicks, and even finger-snapping rap. Her creativity also includes intricate quilting, playing the piano by ear, and original game-making. It is no wonder that her daughter-in-law says she is like having Mary Poppins for a grandmother.
Born in Africa to missionary parents, Elmer and Lillian Danielson, Ms. Holwerda had a unique elementary school experience. She attended public school in Lindsborg, Kansas, was home-schooled on a mission station in Tanzania, and enjoyed boarding school in Kenya. She has dedicated her life to family, teaching, athletics, friends, church, and being kind. She is the energetic fun-loving grandmother every child would wish for, remaining an avid water-skier and competitive tennis player well into her 70’s.
As a teacher for twenty-five years, Ms. Holwerda first told the “ZAMZAM” story to a classroom of young children. Seeing them spell-bound and teary-eyed, she decided to make it an annual event. Then after her grandchildren were born, she wrote “Grandma’s Story, the ZAMZAM” just for them! Now she is happy to have “Faith in the Middle” published for all children to read.
Ms. Holwerda is a frequent speaker at civic, social, and church groups in Arkansas where she and her husband Jim have retired. Although scattered throughout the United States, they still find frequent ways to thoroughly enjoy their three children and families, which include eight grandchildren.