Bakker, Sarah Johanna 1914-2006

BAKKER, VANDER KAMP

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/28/2008 at 21:10:52

Sarah Johanna Bakker was born to John William and Sara (Vander Kamp) Bakker on June 10, 1914 east of Pella, Iowa. She attended the Valley Country Grade School near Pella where she completed the 8th grade. Her parents then needed her to help out at home, which she did for the next 5 years. Sarah's siblings then insisted she go back to high school.

Sarah graduated with the Pella High School Class of 1937 and then attended Central College in Pella for approximately 3 years having to drop out because of her asthma condition.

Then in Sarah's words-"I remember the first time I got a call to serve the Lord. It was shortly after World War II when I heard a radio appeal for missionaries. I soon joined the Sudan Interior Missions, an international mission agency serving Africa. I attended Omaha Bible Institute in Omaha, Nebraska and graduated in 1943 and served one year helping in the Winnebago, Nebraska, Indian work before going into the next era of my life.

Who would ever have dreamed that the Lord had a plan for me to spend my next 34 years in Nigeria, Africa?! I remember my first journey into Nigeria. I sailed from New York and after two weeks on the road aboard a series of trains and planes, I had to walk 42 miles to get to my destination. The first 14 miles got me to a leprosy camp. The next day I walked alone and had a piggyback ride on an African man's back to get across the river. My first job was trekking, going to the surrounding villages and teaching the Bible to the natives. Later I worked as a principal of a Girl's school in Mopa, an elementary school and in an orphanage. We had many experiences such as rescuing runaway girls who came to us as a place of refuge from marrying when they did not want to or to follow a pagan worship. The girls wanted to be educated like the boys. I am grateful to the Lord in having been His servant to help boys and girls, men and women come out of darkness of paganism into the light of the Lord Jesus Christ."

"I received a second call from the Lord that took me to Skyline Manor and Villa in Omaha. I spent most of my time visiting residents in the hospitals and in the health care center. It was a joy to see some of the elderly folk who had rejected the Lord all those years turn their lives over to the King of Kings as their Savior."

"I left Omaha October 5, 1994 to live with my sister, Jeannette in the home our mother had built in Pella, for approximately 2 years. We then became residents of Fair Haven. During that time my eyesight became limited due to Macular degeneration. I was blessed to be able to purchase a visual aid machine that allowed me to continue to read."

Sarah lived at Vriendschap Village in Pella from January 2003 through June 2004, and then became a resident at Jefferson Place. Sarah passed away at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella on Saturday, November 18, 2006 at the advanced age of 92 years, 4 months and 8 days.

Those left to honor her life are her nephews and nieces: John Davies of Wayland, Michigan, Glyn Davies living in Australia, Franklin Davies living in England, Sharon Bandstra of Des Moines, Iowa, Ruth Zimmer of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Carol Vreeke of Lafayette, Indiana, John Wesley Bakker of Chicago, Illinois; and her special caregiving friend, Jennie Geetings of Knoxville, Iowa.

Sarah was preceded in death by her parents: John W. and Sara Bakker; her brother, Willie (William) Bakker who died of Tuberculosis in 1934 at the age of 24 years; her sister, Roelphine (Ruth) Davies who died in England in 1978 and her husband, Ernie Davies; her sister, Jeannette Roelphine (Ruth) Bakker who died on February 11, 2002 at the age of 94 years; and her brother, Frank Albert Bakker who died on October 9, 2005 at the age of 92 years and his wife, Pieternella (Pearl) Bakker who had died on September 24, 2004.

For those desiring memorials may be designated for Sudan Interior Mission, an international mission agency serving Africa.

The Pella Chronicle, December 15, 2006