He was only ten years old when he made the decision to give his life to Jesus and ask to be saved from his sin. The testimonies that night at the special church service in Louisiana spoke to his heart, while the Spirit of God drew him to know the truth. He realized he needed Jesus and when they made the altar call, he jumped out of his seat and shot to the front like a bullet. There he humbled himself before the only One who could save him and give him new life, and he was saved.
His life was forever changed, and only a year later, he made another life changing decision. This service some missionaries were speaking, and they asked everyone in the congregation to ask God what He wanted them to do with their lives. Young Craig felt God telling him to be a missionary, and without hesitation, Craig asked God "where?". God told him to open his eyes, and when he did, he saw the words on the tongue flap of his shoe. They told him to go to China.
Ever since that day, Craig sought to follow God in this direction and work towards going to Asia. He knew he needed training, and so when he graduated, he worked to save money to go to a training school called a "Discipleship Training School" in Arkansas. He was a very determined and focused young man who wanted only to do what God wanted. Little did he know where God was taking him!
On the other side of the country, in a small town in Minnesota, 19 year old Tammy was working to go to a Discipleship Training School also. She was going for much different reasons. The fact that the school was in Europe appealed to her desire to travel, and she only knew that the school was going to teach about God. Tammy didn't really know God, and had been heading down a dangerous path during high school. She had grown up attending church, and knew she needed a change. This school seemed like a good place to get it.
In January 1998, Tammy arrived at the Discipleship Training School in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was there that she heard for the first time about a personal relationship with Jesus and she surrendered her life completely to Him. She was changed forever, and filled with true life! During the following months, she grew tremendously in her relationship with Jesus through intense teaching and allowing God to mold her like a piece of soft clay. Towards the end of the school,God asked her to be a missionary, and without hesitation, Tammy said yes.
In July 1998, Tammy returned home to Minnesota and worked, asking God what He wanted her to do next. God led her to pray for the lost in many different countries, and as she prayed, He placed a love in her heart for the people of Central Asia. She decided that she would work towards going there.
In January 1999, Craig attended the Discipleship Training School in Elm Springs, Arkansas. He was forever changed in his relationship with Jesus as God drew him closer and revealed more of His character to him. In July, Craig decided to return for the next school, the School of Evangelism, and be further trained towards missions.
Back in Minnesota, Tammy was praying about further training in missions and felt God lead her to go to the School of Evangelism in Elm Springs Arkansas. She knew it would give her knowledge and skills needed to work as a full time missionary.
In July 1999, Craig and Tammy came from opposite sides of the country to attend the same school in Arkansas, and met for the first time.
3 weeks into the school, they were on a missions trip to Mexico, leading some youth. It was here in Mexico that they became true friends, and started to spend a lot of time together. They had great times talking and laughing, and something started...
One day in Mexico, Tammy looked at Craig from a distance and felt God tell her "You will marry him." She was shocked to hear this from God, especially since she had only known Craig for about a month! Tammy was not looking for who she would marry, but had given that desire to God, and was waiting for His direction. She got it! Tammy was determined to keep Craig from knowing the words she had heard from God, she didn't want to influence him in any way, but wanted God to work. So she just prayed for God's will to be done, and waited to see what would happen.
What Tammy didn't know was that Craig was already thinking about marrying her. Craig was also praying, and he felt God give him the verses from Genesis 24:63-67 which talked about Isaac and Rebekah. He felt as though God had brought Tammy to him as he focused on God.
Craig and Tammy remained only friends throughout the following months, and at the end of the school, Craig asked Tammy to be his girlfriend. Of course, she said yes!
The next day, they went for a walk and revealed a lot of personal things in their lives to each other. As they sat together, Craig said "I think it's God's will that we get married." Tammy said, "me too!" and finally told about what God had told her earlier. They agreed to get married, and were engaged!
The following months were filled with continued thanks to God as they both realized how God had brought them together and led them in His will. They both stayed in Arkansas for the Staff in Training school at the Youth With a Mission base there, while planning their wedding. They were married on May 20, 2000.
After their wedding, Craig and Tammy moved to Louisiana to pray and ask God for the next step in their new life together. Both knew God had called them as a couple to be missionaries to Asia. As they listened and waited, God led them to apply for the School of Frontier Missions in Hong Kong.
In January 2001, they found out they were expecting their first child, and in September 2001, their son Caleb was born. What a joy it was to have a new addition to the family!
The next January, they headed to Hong Kong and attended the SOFM. During the school, they asked God to lead them wherever He wanted them to go.
After returning to the States again in July, they found out a second child was due to arrive! In April, 2003, their precious daughter Grace joined the family.
December 2003, the Bertrand family left the USA once again, this time to move to Hong Kong. God called them to work full time as staff members at the Hong Kong Youth With A Mission base. They gave a 2 year commitment with the intention to stay as long as God directed past that. During those 2 years, they ministered as a family to many people, asking God to move in and through them. Many exciting things happened, including the training and sending out of many young people to preach the Gospel in Asia!
At the end of their 2 year commitment, God told Craig and Tammy to return to the USA. They were a little dissapointed at first, because they loved the work of discipleship in Hong Kong. But they also knew that God had better plans than they could imagine and they obeyed His direction once again.
So in December 2005, Craig and Tammy, now 8 months pregnant with their third child, along with a 4 year old Caleb and 2 1/2 year old Grace, moved back to Louisiana. They came to pray and ask God for the next step.
In January 2006, their daughter Faith joined them and they are now a family of 5! They sought God's direction and prayed for the next nine months.
After an intense time of waiting and refining, God spoke to the Bertrand family to return to Hong Kong, this time to fulfill the vision He had put in their hearts a few years before - to train and mobilize the churches of Hong Kong into missions!
In December 2006, Craig and Tammy and their 3 children moved back to Hong Kong with a more mature and passionate love for the people of Asia and what God wanted to do there.
You can now find the Bertrand family living in an old Chinese village in Hong Kong, making friends and telling those friends all about how wonderful Jesus is. The children have even taken part in giving and praying for the people of Hong Kong!
God is doing amazing things in Hong Kong, and He has wonderful plans for the people there. If you want to be a part of spreading God's love in Hong Kong, just get involved!
