A Legacy of Faith and Discipleship

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. " I Corinthians 3:6

On Saturday May 31, friends and family gathered to celebrate the 95th birthday of Dick Driedger and the 70th wedding anniversary of Dick and Susan Driedger, the founders of Foundations For Living. The work they started, to train lay people to make disciples across the street and around the world, has now taken root in 20 countries.  

At the celebration Dick shared the story of Swedish missionaries David and Svea Flood. In 1921 this couple left Sweden to take up residence in what was then known as the Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of Congo). 

David and Svea tried to establish a ministry in a remote village but the local chief did not grant them access so they built mud huts outside the village. The only contact they had with village people was a young boy who was permitted to sell them fresh vegetables and eggs. Over time Svea shared the Gospel with this young man. 

They were the parents of one young son and while Svea was delivering a daughter she died. David became very disillusioned with God. He took his children to a central mission station where he gave his children to another missionary couple and returned to Sweden where he abandoned his faith completely. 

Years later the young girl born to David and Svea did some research and found that the boy delivering supplies had become a believer, had started a school for children, and led many people to become disciples of Jesus. 

Dick reminded us it is important to plant the seed of the Gospel wherever we can because once the seed is planted God will make it grow.