“Is this Mr. Orser?” The voice asked. “Why, yes,” Del answered, wondering who was calling. He certainly wasn’t prepared for the next question, “Would you be willing to study the Bible with me?” That was just the beginning of a precious relationship that will never end.
Del and his wife, Bonnie, learned that Deb Lish had moved from Ukiah, Calif., several years earlier and was seeking answers to her heart's cry for freedom from her worldly lifestyle. She had never forgotten her experience with a Seventh-day Adventist she had met years earlier. Deb’s desire to get to know truth drove her to check the yellow pages for a possible Adventist church near her. Her persistence paid off when two pastors encouraged her to contact the Orsers because they both knew that the couple had just committed to help the new church plant in city of Rathdrum, Idaho. Thus the call from Deb that day, to the surprise of Del and Bonnie, who enjoy sharing their love for Jesus and Bible truth.
How surprised both Del and Deb were to learn that the same lady who had shown such kindness to Deb was none other than Del's aunt, Evelyn Orser, whom he had lived with during several summers when he worked for his uncle Cecil. Evelyn had been a strong influence in Del’s own life when he was going over “fool's hill” as a teenager.
Deb had never forgotten the unconditional love demonstrated by Evelyn many years earlier, when Evelyn had taken her out of the bar on several occasions, taken her home and tucked her into her own bed with prayer. The book “On my Back Looking Up” (Review and Herald, 1984) tells of Evelyn’s battle with cancer and her own experience studying with Deb and her desire for Deb’s conversion. In fact, Deb was at Evelyn’s side when she breathed her last; even then Evelyn appealed to her heart to make a decision for Jesus.
Over the years Deb’s lifestyle of alcohol and tobacco had left their harmful effects and she felt a desperate need to make some new lifestyle changes, especially when she was diagnosed with cancer. The Holy Spirit convicted her to heal her broken relationship with her father, pay an honest tithe and to keep the Sabbath in a more meaningful way. Deb was anointed for her cancer and experienced a miraculous healing that further convicted her of a real and living Lord. Deb joined the Rathdrum Community Adventist Church by profession of faith in 2007. However, following the recent ShareHim Evangelistic series held at the Rathdrum Church, Deb decided to seal her commitment with baptism on June 5, 2010.
Deb has her doctorate in woman’s history and Native American and African studies and is currently teaching online classes.
How happy Evelyn will be to begin her eternal life with the one she loved so dearly! We rejoice with Deb as we look forward to that great reunion day, to be with our Lord Jesus and our forever friends who unknowingly had such a positive influence in our lives.
