Encouraging Stories

Hi richard,

great idea to post encouraging stories for Gods glory!

This story was posted recently:
[url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=16756&forum=34&2]The Hell Fire CLub[/url]

I also came across this archive:
[url=http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/believers/weishampelthw/THW000.HTM]The Testimony of a Hundred Witnesses(1858)[/url]

This is one from the archive:

[b]WHITEFIELD'S BROTHER CONVERTED[/b]
Mr. Whitefield, brother of the noted preacher, had fallen into a backslidden state. In conversation with the Countess of Huntingdon one day, he said, "My lady, I know what you say is true. The mercy of God is infinite: I see it clearly. But, ah! my lady, there is no mercy for me--I am a wretch, entirely lost." "I am glad to hear it, Mr. Whitefield," said Lady H. He looked with great surprise.--"What, my lady, glad! glad in your heart that I am a lost man?" " Yes, Mr. Whitefield, truly glad; for Jesus Christ came into the world to save the lost." He set down his cup of tea on the table. "Blessed be God for that," said he--"Glory be to God for that word!" he exclaimed. "O, what unusual power is this which I feel attending it! Jesus Christ came to save the lost! then I have a ray of hope,"--and so he went on. As he finished his last cup of tea, his hand trembled, and he complained of illness. He went out into the chapel court for the benefit of the air, but staggered to the wall, exclaiming, "I am very ill." Soon after he was brought into the house he expired.--Sinner, backslider, dost thou feel thyself undone? Remember that "the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).

Jeppe

I beleive this story from cyberhymnal was also posted on sermonindex but it fits great in this thread and is the same sort of conversion as the one in "The Hell Fire Club"

[b]ALL HAIL TO THEE, IMMANUEL[/b]
Van Sick­le, a non­be­liev­er, wrote the song to prove that one doesn’t have to be a Christ­ian to write a Christ­ian song. How­ev­er, God, with His great pa­tience, turned the ta­bles on him. Years lat­er, Van Sickle was sit­ting in a serv­ice where a choir sang his hymn. He came under con­vict­ion and gave his heart to Christ!

All hail to Thee, Immanuel, we cast our crowns before Thee;
Let every heart obey Thy will, and every voice adore Thee.
In praise to Thee, our Savior King, the vibrant chords of Heaven ring,
And echo back the mighty strain: All hail! All hail! All hail Immanuel!

Refrain

Hail to the King we love so well! Immanuel! Immanuel!
Hail to the King we love so well! Immanuel! Immanuel!
Glory and honor and majesty, wisdom and power be unto Thee,
Now and evermore!
Hail to the King we love so well! Immanuel! Immanuel!
Hail to the King we love so well! Immanuel! Immanuel!
King of kings and Lord of lords, all hail, Immanuel!

All hail to Thee, Immanuel, the ransomed hosts surround Thee;
And earthly monarchs clamor forth their sovereign King to crown Thee.
While those redeemed in ages gone, assembled round the great white throne,
Break forth into immortal song: All hail! All hail! All hail Immanuel!

Refrain

All hail to Thee, Immanuel, our risen King and Savior!
Thy foes are vanquished, and Thou art omnipotent forever.
Death, sin and hell no longer reign, and Satan’s pow’r is burst in twain;
Eternal glory to Thy Name: All hail! All hail! All hail Immanuel!

Refrain

:-)

Rich,

Excellent request, IMHO! I hope you will get a lot of posts on this thread....if you do I will do a lot of copying/pasting!

Here is something you might like. I have gone to this site and used stories to put in our church bulletin.
http://www.ccel.org/s/shaw_sb/incidents/incident.htm

Blessings,
ginnyrose

Here is another website which has lots of illustrations, sorted topically. I have used some of these stories in our church bulletin. The site:
http://www.bible.org/illus.php

Hey, ya'll! doesn't anyone else out there know of any sites with inspiring stories? The ones I posted will have hundreds, far to many to post on this thread....

Blessings,
ginnyrose

Here's a great one from London, England.

Inside his elegant estate, George, a distinguished gentleman, settled down at his desk to open his morning mail. Included was a simple white envelope which he opened and then scanned the first few lines of the tract within.

He immediately recognized it as "religious propaganda" and with a scowl was ready to discard it when a smirk came across his face. He and his friend Edward were always playing practical jokes on one another, This would be perfect. Selecting another envelope he addressed it to Edward and mailed off the tract to his friend.

A few days later in another estate a few miles away, Edward opened the envelope containing the tract. He scanned the first few lines and at first he responded just as his friend had but just as he was about to throw it into the fire he drew his hand back. Indeed it was God's appointed moment. If someone had taken the time to send this to him, the least he could do was read it. As he read, it was like penetrating light that exposed his own sinfulness and God's great love for sending His Son to die for him. He hadn't heard this since he was a boy.

Before the sun set that day, Edward entered into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and trusted Him as his Savior.

His immediate impulse was to share the good news. Getting out another envelope he addressed it to his old friend George and prayed that God would bless the tract again.

You can imagine George's amazement! This was a little unnerving. He thought Edward would burn the tract but here it was again. Slowly George began to read the tract and he too came under conviction of sin and his need for a Savior. He trusted in the finished work of the cross that very same day.

Some time later they met and and put the story together, they not only laughed but they began to work together to spread the news of the gospel.

-taken from [i]Larger Window[/i] by DeVern Fromke

Here is a story:
A WOULD-BE MURDERER’S ARM PARALYZED.

A prominent minister in Canada relates the following remarkable instance of God’s miraculous care over His people: “I am frequently impressed by the Spirit, to perform actions, at the time unaccountable to myself. These impressions are so vivid that I dare not disobey them.

“Some time ago, on a stormy night, I was suddenly impressed to go to the distant house of an aged couple, and there to pray. So imperative was the call, that I harnessed the horse and drove to the spot, fastened the horse to the shed, and entered the house unperceived by a door, which had been left open. There, kneeling down, I poured out my petitions to God, in an audible voice, for the divine protection over the inmates; after which I departed and returned home. Months after, I was visiting one of the principle prisons in Canada, and moving amongst the prisoners, was accosted by one of them, who claimed to know me. I had no recollection of the convict, and was fairly startled when the latter said: “Do you remember going to such a house one night, and offering prayer for the inmates?” I told him I did, and asked how he came to know anything about it. He said: “I had gone to that house to steal a sum of money, known to be in the possession of the old man. When you drove into the yard, I though you were he, and intended to kill you while you were hitching your horses. I saw when you spoke to the horse that you were a stranger. I followed you into the house, and heard your prayer. You prayed God to protect the old people from violence of any kind and especially from murder; and if there was any hand uplifted to strike them, that it ought be paralyzed.” Then the prisoner pointed to his right arm, which hung lifeless by his side, saying: Do you see that arm? It was paralyzed on the spot, and I have never moved it since. Of course I left the place without doing any harm, but am here now, for other offenses." -- Reported by Lily Blake Blakeney Howe.

ginnyrose

“DOES THIS RAILROAD LEAD TO HEAVEN?”

In traveling we often meet with persons of different nationalities and languages; we also meet with incidents of various character, some sorrowful, and others joyful and instinctive. One of the latter character I witnessed recently while traveling upon the cars. The train was going west, and the time was evening. At a station a little girl about eight years old came aboard, carrying a little budget under her arm. She came into the car and deliberately took a seat. She then commenced an eager scrutiny of faces, but all were strange to her. She appeared weary, and placing her budget or a pillow, she prepared to try and secure a little sleep. Soon the conductor came along collecting tickets and fare. Observing him, she asked him if she might lie there. The gentlemanly conductor replied that she might, and then kindly asked for her ticket. She informed him that she had none, when the following conversation ensued. Said the conductor:

“Where are you going?”

“l am going to heaven," she answered.

“Who pays your fare?” he asked again.

She then said: “Mister, does this railroad lead to heaven, and does Jesus travel on it?”

"I think not," he answered. "Why did you think so?"

“Why, sir, before my ma died she used to sing to me of a heavenly railroad, and you looked so nice and kind that I thought this was the road. My ma used to sing of Jesus on the heavenly railroad, and that He paid the fare for everybody, and that the train stopped at every station to take people on board; but my ma don’t sing to me any mere. Nobody sings to me now; and I thought I’d take the cars and go to ma. Mister, do you sing to your little girl about the railroad that goes to heaven? You have a little girl haven’t you?”

He replied, weeping: "No, my little dear, I have no little girl now. I had one once, but she died some time ago, and went to heaven.” “Did she go over this railroad, and are you going to see her now? “ she asked.

By this time every person in the coach was upon their feet, and most of them were weeping. An attempt to describe what I witnessed is almost futile. Some said: " God bless the little girl." Hearing some person say that she was an angel, the little girl earnestly replied: "Yes, my ma used to say that I would be an angel some time.

Addressing herself once more to the conductor, she asked him: "Do you love Jesus? I do; and if you love him, he will let you ride to heaven on His railroad. I am going there, and I wish you would go with me. I know Jesus will let me into heaven when I get there, and he will let you in too, and everybody that will ride on his railroad -- yes, all these people. Wouldn’t you like to see heaven, and Jesus, and your little girl?”

These words, so pathetically and innocently uttered, brought a great gush of tears from all eyes, hut most profusely from those of the conductor. Some who were traveling on the heavenly railroad shouted aloud for joy.

She now asked the conductor: "Mister, may I lie here until we get to heaven?

"Yes, dear, yes," he answered. "Will you wake me up then, So that I may see my ma, and your little girl, and Jesus?" she asked, "for I do so much want to see them all. "The answer came in broken accents, but in words very tenderly spoken: "Yes, dear angel, yes. God bless you." "Amen" was sobbed by more than a score of voices. Turning her eyes again upon the conductor, she interrogated him again: "What shall I tell your little girl when I see her? Shall I tell her that I saw her pa on Jesus’ railroad? Shall I?”

This brought a fresh flood of tears from all present, and the conductor knelt by her side, and, embracing her, wept the reply he could not utter. At this juncture the brakeman called out “H-------” The conductor arose and requested him to attend to his (the conductor’s) duty at the station, for he was engaged. That was a precious place. I thank God that I was a witness to this scene, but I was sorry that at this point I was obliged to leave the train.

We learn from this incident that out of the mouths of even babes God hath ordained strength, and that we ought to be willing to represent the cause of our blessed Jesus even in a railroad coach.

THE SEQUEL

Rev. Dosh I wish to relieve my heart by writing to you, and saying that that angel visit on the cars was a blessing to me, although I did not realize it in its fullness until some hours after. But blessed be the Redeemer, I know now that I am His, and He is mine. I no longer wonder why Christians are happy. Oh, my joy, my joy! The instrument of my salvation has gone to God. I had purposed adopting her in the place of my little daughter, who is now in heaven. With this intention I took her to C----b and on my return trip I took her back to S----n, where she left the cars. In consultation with my wife in regard to adopting her, she replied " Yes, certainly, and immediately too, for there is a Divine providence in this. Oh," said she, “I never could refuse to take under my charge the instrument of my husband’s salvation.”

I made inquiry for the child at S----n, and learned that in three days after her return she died suddenly, without any apparent disease, and her happy soul had gone to dwell with her ma, my little girl, and the angels in heaven I was sorry to hear of her death, but my sorrow is turned to joy when I think my angel-daughter received intelligence from earth concerning her pa, and that he is on the heavenly railway. Oh sir, methinks I see her near the Redeemer. I think I hear her sing “I’m safe at home, and pa and ma are coming;" and I find myself sending back the reply: "Yes, my darling, we are coming, and will soon be there." Oh, my dear sir, I am glad that I ever formed your acquaintance may the blessing of the great God rest upon you. Please write to me, and be assured, I would he most happy to meet you again. -- Rev. J.M. Dosh, in Christian Expositor.
http://www.ccel.org/s/shaw_sb/incidents/incident.htm#_Toc462415257

ginnyrose

The following clip is from an email I received today from a missionary couple in Ukraine, the story they related of this dear old Ukranian man encouraged me greatly...
On Saturday afternoon we also had a baptism on an arm of the Dneiper river. Many were baptized including three men from our Zap church. One of them was 70 year-old Peter Dimitrevich. His father was born in 1898 and was a soldier in the Red Army during the Russian Civil War that followed the Russian Revolution. Then in 1923 he got saved and became an elder in the infant Pentacostal church movement in Ukraine in the Zaporozhye region. He was later arrested and spent three years as a convict laborer in a mine inside the artic circle. He was released and went back to serving the Lord. Shortly after that Peter Dimitrevich was born and then his father was arrested again. As the police searched his house, they found a painting he had painted of the second coming of Christ. The police asked him, “Who is that?” pointing at Jesus in the painting.

“That is Jesus Christ.” He answered.

“And who are all these people he is conquering? “

“That is everyone in the whole world. The Bible says every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.”

“Is the Red Army there too?”

“Yes, everyone is there.”

“Are you saying that Jesus is going to defeat the undefeatable Red Army?

For his positive answer Peter’s father was sentenced to fourteen years of hard labor in Siberia. Before his sentencing a high official who had been a childhood friend came to his cell and said, “You know Dimitri I think this is all just a mistake.”

He handed him a cigarette and said, ”Here, just smoke this cigarette and curse God and you can walk out of here a free man.”

Dimitri said, “Well, I think I could smoke the cigarette because God would forgive me for that sin, but I could never curse the one who has saved me from hell.”

So he served his fourteen years (1937-1951) and Peter grew up without a father. But seeds were planted in his heart that would stay with him his whole life. He remembered words of hymns that were sung in the little house meetings and the love of the people. But he went on to do well in school, serve in the army, become a member of the communist party and work many years as an economist. His father went on to live to the age of ninety. But Peter never made his father’s faith his own. That is until a couple years ago.

After a near fatal car accident Peter had a vision of an angel pulling him out of the wreck and keeping him alive until help came. He gave his life to the Lord shortly after. He joined our church after moving to Zaporozhye a few months ago. He is full of the joy of the Lord and against all our pleadings he helps carry our heavy speakers up and down the stairs. He cries as he gives his testimony, he cried at his baptism. They are tears of pure joy in Jesus. No doubt they come in answer to prayers prayed long ago in Siberia for a little boy growing up far away.

Pray for your children and don’t stop. Please pray for us too as we need your prayers more than ever.

In Christ,

Ron

The voice of the martyrs and Foxe's Book of Martyrs have very encouraging stories about our persecuted brothers and sisters. Thanks, all for what you have already posted. We should find some more...

This story ranks among my favorites. I love to read it slowly, savoring the drama as it creeps along.
ginnyrose

[b][size=small]Brother Duan’s Christmas Miracle[/size][/b]

Brother Duan was stranded. It was the middle of winter and the engine of the bus had just given up its battle with the cold. Duan was traveling south and was now stuck somewhere in the Henan province.

Duan was a house leader in northern China. Now seventy-seven years of age he still had no home to call his own. On a whim, he decided to trudge off in the night through the fields of snow. As he walked, he felt so alone. He thought longingly of his beloved wife who died long ago. And then a vision of his little son swam into his tired mind, and a dark cloud settled over his heart.

Cross on the Doorpost
Duan found a village and knocked on a door with a little cross notched on the doorpost. The door was opened and Duan was warmly welcomed by a Christian family. They were all excited as that night they would travel to a neighboring town to hear a dynamic Bible teacher, called brother Wang, from one of the bigger cities. On their way to the meeting, the family told Duan about brother Wang. Duan asked, “How old is he?” When they told him he was in his early forties, a look of pain swept Duan's face. He said, “I once had a son. I knew him for only two months. Now he’s dead. But had he lived, he would be forty-two today. I called him “Isaac,” because we had despaired of ever having a child, but ten years after we were married, along he came, like we were Abraham and Sarah. My wife and I were evangelists in the 1950’s. We were both in great danger of arrest. An old school bully of mine called Wu kept accusing us of imperialism. We worried for our son. One night my wife heard a voice in a vision that said, “Give your son to your enemy.” She said nothing about it, but the following morning I was reading Genesis 22, and when I read verse 2, “Go get Isaac, your only son, the one you dearly love... and sacrifice him to me”, I felt that God was asking me to do something terrible. We shared our thoughts and decided to offer our son to Wu and his wife. A few days later Wu came to the door and arrested us on charges that were groundless. I was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. During my interrogation, I told Wu I wanted to give my boy to him. Wu and his wife were told I wanted to give my boy to him. Wu and his wife were childless. When I came out of jail in 1978 I discovered that Wu adopted my son but that the entire family died in an earthquake in 1975.”

Shocked Silence
They finally arrived at the crowded church. When Brother Wang began preaching, Duan got a terrible shock. It was like hearing himself. Even the preacher’s phrases were similar. He stood up to see better. The preacher stopped and looked over. There was a minute of shocked silence as both men looked at each other. The physical likeness was amazing. Duan began to apologize, “I am sorry for interrupting your excellent message. You see, I had a son who would be your age now. And if he had lived, he would have looked and sounded just like you.” Tears came into Wang’s eyes, and he whispered hoarsely, “Are you Daddy Duan?”

After 40 Years
Father and son were reunited after forty-two years. Wang had been brought up by Wu who had been impressed by Duan’s act of giving that he became a strong believer. Wu used to say to him, “I’m not your real father. He is a great man of God. He gave you to me, and I give you all my love and the encouragement to put God first, just like your real father...” The elder of the church stood up and declared, “We have seen our sermon tonight. Christ came into the world to save sinners –that is Christmas. Just as Duan handed his only son to the care of his enemy, so God handed his own son to us sinners. Let us rejoice in their reconciliation and ours, too.” This article originally appeared on Open Doors’ magazine

richard,

I collect stories - obviously - and in going thorugh my collection, I found this to be sobering.

ginnyrose

[b][size=small]"It's Only a Quarter"[/size][/b]

Several years ago a preacher moved to town. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to downtown. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidently given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, you better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it. Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway the bus company already gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet."

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."

The driver with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change."

When my friend stepped off the bus, he literally grabbed the nearst light pole and held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter." -Author unknown

This might not fit the thread as it should, but this link contains a great resource on the life of Hudson Taylor

http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?SpeakerOnly=true&currSection=sermonsspeaker&Keyword=Hudson^Taylor

A Biography (5 part - mp3 download)

I cried under conviction as I read ginnyrose's post "It's only a Quarter" because I've failed God so many times in "the little things" just like that situation through sloth, neglect, didn't seem like a big deal, didn't want to take time etc. I pray God's forgiveness. wow how many times have we been tried like this preacher and failed the test. We won't know until we stand before God when every word, thought, and deed will be reviewed.

The big things I suspect we as Believers are more likely do right by God while sometimes letting the seemingly "little things" slide. God convict us that the next time we'll give You Your just due no matter how little or big.

Lord Jesus may we never shame Your Name.

This is a true story, and it happened to me....

[b][size=x-small]It's Only a Penny![/size][/b]

Many years ago our small town had a Sears catalog office where one could place orders for items from Sears, Roebuck. I made many purchases from Sears. They had good products and it was so very handyand convenient.

One day they called me informing me I had a package come in. I asked them what the amount was and they told me. I went in to the store to pick it up and during the process of talking with them by phone and going to the store, the sales lady irked me. What she did to annoy me, I have no clue - it faded from my memory soon after this incident. Anyhow, as I went to write the check, I noticed she made an error in the amount I owed but I went ahead and made my check out for the amount she told me, knowing full well I was underpaying her.

I left with the package, feeling very guilty. But I argued: I was annoyed; it was only a penny! And so the arguments went...it went on for years....sometimes months went by and I never thought about it.

One day, the Holy Spirit got very severe with me: "You mean to tell me you would give up heaven for one cent?!" I broke. Yes, you are right, I will repay that one cent. By now the store had closed but that former owner lived only a few miles down the road from us. Now I called Betty and asked her if I could come see her. She said, "Come on....I am canning tomatoes..." I told her it would not take long.

I went to Betty's house and after some small talk, she asked me what brought me to her house. I told her what I did so many years ago and now offered to pay her a dollar as compensation for what I stole. She was so delighted with my confession, said she never knew it and by no means will she accept my payment! And that I am forgiven!

Living with that guilty conscience was a lot worse then making that restitution. Learned a powerful lesson then.

And the Holy Spirit was pleased and never again convicted me about that sin.

ginnyrose

Here is a story a friend emailed me. Thought it might inspire someone....

ginnyrose

[b][size=small]Maximilian Kolbe[/size][/b]

In contrast to the Duchess of Buckingham, one man I admire greatly is Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941). Maximilian Kolbe was a Catholic priest, who was put in a Nazi concentration camp for his faith.

On May 28, 1941, he was transferred to the concentration camp at Auschwitz. During his time there, he would share his meager rations of food with those around him who were hungry.

Despite the evil in the camp perpetrated against the inmates, Kolbe pleaded with the prisoners to forgive their persecutors and overcome evil with good.

A protestant doctor who treated the patients in Kolbe’s block said that Kolbe would not let himself be treated before any other prisoners in that block. He sacrificed himself for the other prisoners. The doctor said about Kolbe: "From my observations, the virtues in the Servant of God were no momentary impulse such as are often found in men, they sprang from a habitual practice, deeply woven into his personality.

One day a man in Kolbe’s block escaped. All of the men from that block were brought out into the hot sun and made to stand there all day with no food or drink.

At the end of the day, the man that had escaped was not found and so Fritsch, the Nazi commandant told the prisoners that ten men would be selected to die in the starvation cell in place of the one that had escaped.

One man, a polish sergeant ( Francis Gajowniczek)was one of those selected. He begged to be spared because he was worried that his family would not be able to survive without him. As he was pleading with the commandant, Maximilian Kolbe silently stepped forward and stood before the commandant.

The commandant turned to him and said asked, "What does this Polish pig want?"

Kolbe pointed to the polish sergeant and said, "I am a Catholic priest from Poland; I would like to take his place, because he has a wife and children."

The commandant stood silent for a moment in disbelief. He then allowed the sergeant to go back to his place in the ranks and Kolbe took his place in the starvation bunker.

Each day the guards removed the bodies of those who had died. However instead of the usual sounds of screaming, all they could hear was the sounds of Kolbe and the others in the bunker singing hymns and praying.

When Kolbe couldn’t speak any longer due to hunger and lack of energy, he would whisper his prayers. After two weeks, the cell had to be cleared out for more prisoners. Only four prisoners were left and Kolbe was one of them.

The guards injected each with a lethal injection and on August 14, 1941, Kolbe paid the ultimate price.

Kolbe viewed others as more important than himself. And in that he was following the Master. Philippians 2: 5-11 put the matter well when he said: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

Another story....my friend emailed me this, this one being a family story. I know this family quite well.

ginnyrose

[b]Rationing and God’s Provision [/b]
–by Rosie Bontrager

During World War II, ration cards were issued for some commodities. Among other items, gas was rationed. When Ezra Daudy (Grandpa) heard about the rationing he felt uncertain whether it was right for him to participate. He and Grandma and their married children living near them decided not to take part in the cards for two reasons. First, it was helping the war effort, and second they were unsure if it might be connected with the mark of the beast mentioned in Revelation.

Of course this called for some sacrifice on their part. They went back to using a horse and buggy for short trips and also rode together for going to church, etc. Before rationing started, they filled what tanks and cans they had available with gas.

Ezra Daudy’s lived on a mill stream which came from the Little Elkhart River. One morning after the rationing had started, Daudy went out to find oil floating down the mill stream. (There had been a break in the oil line upstream.) By raising the flood gates so nothing went over the top, the water was still able to pass through below and the oil accumulated on top thick enough that they could dip it off. Although it was similar to kerosene and smoked some in the vehicles, they were able to use it. They still had some left when rationing was lifted.

In later years, Daudy doubted that rationing had anything to do with the mark of the beast. However, at the time he wasn’t sure. This story has blest us through the years as a tangible confirmation that God blesses our faith in Him and our willingness to sacrifice for His cause. We trust it will bless you too. .

(NOTE by the writer's mother-in-law: this oil was used to operate the machinery that provided for their livelihood.)