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"Her husband will rise up and call her blessed..."
(Prov. 31:28a) ...and so will her children and grandchildren. At the most recent Royal Treasure symposium, Ginger Johnson shared what a blessing and inspiration her mother was as she gave of herself and her means to bless so many others. This woman was Henrietta Van Der Molen of Wheaton, Illinois, and throughout her life she seized with joy opportunities to make a difference. Galina Cura of the West Chicago Little Lambs ministry said, "Henrietta was the best example of a woman of faith as described in Scripture that I have ever met."
Henrietta's childhood was marked by difficult circumstances but she had a mother who was a strong Christian, taking her children each week on the bus to Moody Church. At the age
of 19 Henrietta married Bernard Van Der Molen, also of Dutch immigrant stock. Henrietta worked with her husband in his family's business, eventually becoming Vice President of the
corporation. In spite of this, she was always available to her six children when they needed her involvement in their school or church activities.
Both Henrietta and Bernie were
vitally involved with Wheaton Christian Grammar School where they saw five of their children and seven grandchildren attend. Both served on the Board of Dirctors at different times and
Henrietta was particularly influential in fund raising for the school. When their grandchildren began entering the school, she began Grandparents' Day, encouraging hundreds to become involved
in supporting and working for the school. In June of 2000, Henrietta was honored for 50 years of service to the school.
In the 1950's Henrietta and Bernie expanded their interests by
going into real estate development. Again Henrietta was vitally involved and, after her husband died suddenly at the age of 59, she continued on, building and managing another 15 or more
properties. She also began the Cornerstone Center Foundation, devoted to foreign missions and youth and women's ministries both locally and abroad.
At an age when some folks think of
retirement, Henrietta became a licensed foster parent through the Evangelical Child and Family Agency (ECFA). For many years she cared for single pregnant women in her home. Not only did she
befriend them as a loving mentor, she also helped them find God's love for themselves and hope for their future. After she "retired" from actively caring for the women, she donated
her home, known as "The Mushroom House," to ECFA to use as a group home for pregnant girls.
Henrietta served on the boards of 5 agencies, including ECFA where she
volunteered to work regularly as an evening and weekend telephone crisis-line counselor. She also volunteered at two resale shops and continued to travel and participate in short term
missions projects around the world.
In 1995 Henrietta suffered a stroke, but that only slowed her down a bit. She called the time after that first stroke "bonus days from the
Lord."
Until she was called home by the Lord in 2000, she spent her time working on her many projects: preparing craft materials for Ukranian orphans, making quilts for the Kids Alive ministry to orphans in the Dominican Republic and Guatemala, sewing book bags, collecting shoes, toys and clothes for those in need. Ginger says, "She loved life, she loved people, she loved service, and most of all, she loved the Lord. She was a woman who could have purchased most any material item, but she was such a wise steward of every dollar and every possession in her life." She truly lived out her life principle, borrowed from David Livingstone: "I will place no value on anything I have or may possess except in its relation to the Kingdom of God. If anything I have will advance the interest of that Kingdom, it shall be given up or kept: as by giving or keeping it I shall most promote the glory of Him to whom I owe all my hopes both for time and for eternity. May grace be given to me to adhere to this."
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