In the still moments, among the noisy bustle of work, family and service, when you get the chance to catch your breath and take stock of your life…where do you find yourself? Is it in the wilderness, the desert, the garden of bounty? For Pearl Hendren, the totality of her 96 years on this earth has been all of these things. Yet, at the centre, amidst every circumstance, has been her greatest stronghold and her most precious treasure…Christ.
“There was a point in mom’s life that was very difficult,” Pearl’s daughter Athabelle quietly said. “But, through everything, especially those trying years, she always prayed for strength and God never let her down.”
As she spoke each word resonated with purpose, stringing together with great resolve. A quality she no doubt comes by naturally from her mother. Yet to look at Pearl you wouldn’t know that suffering had ever touched her, because at 96 years old her face still shines even through the failing light of her living room window.
“She is like my beacon of light,” said friend and neighbour Cheryl Peck.
Pearl herself couldn’t tell you how God has used her for his good purpose or what the fruits of her labour have been. However, it’s not her physical condition, the onset of age or lack of hearing that limits her expression on the matter. Rather, her spirit of humility offers no surrender to self recognition. It’s only to those around her, who know and love Pearl, that the true measure of her life is apparent. Her love for God, her commitment to Christ and her faith runs deep like an oak rooted in pasture offering shade, refuge and rest to those needing it.
“She did without for herself to give to others,” Athabelle said through tears of gratitude. “Mom taught us all things are possible if we believe and trust in the Lord.”
A preacher’s daughter, Pearl Hendren describes her life as “a blessed one”. Born April 12th, 1913, Pearl was the youngest of four children. Her childhood home had an open-door policy and many travelling ministers were welcomed to their dinner table. It was one such Minister. Rev. Charles Schutt, who led Pearl to accept Christ when she was about 11 years old and her own father, Reverend W. B. Walker later baptized Pearl at age 13.
“The Lord surely has looked after me over the years,” Pearl said. “There were many situations that could’ve turned out a lot different had he not been there.”
The Walker family traveled a lot ministering from town to town throughout Ontario, eventually settling in Lakefield during the dirty thirties. They were a close-knit Christian family that built their lives around the church, staked their trust in God and used the bible as their guide for daily living.
“I had a fine Christian mother and father,” remembers Pearl “and God impacted every sphere of my life really. He has walked with me all through life and I would never have been able to do some of the things I did without him.”
In her early 20s Pearl studied to be a nurse. She began her career at Hamilton General Hospital and eventually married at age 26, later having two children, Athabelle and Malcolm. Pearl held many occupations from private nurse, school nurse, assisting with a Well Baby Clinic to acting superintendent of the Lakefield Hospital, from which she retired after 26 years of service.
“Nursing was important to her, but more important was her love for the church,” Athabelle said. “Her whole life was wrapped around the church.
Indeed, Pearl devoted much of her life to service in the church, from volunteer mission band leader to president and treasurer of the local mission circle. At one time or another she was director and moderator of the Baptist Women’s Mission Society of the Trent Valley Association and member of the Council of the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec.
“Pearl has dedicated her life to the Lord and God has made something beautiful of it,” said friend Kelly Braine.
Yet, it is not the sum of works that matters most to Pearl, but her love of the Lord.
“She gave everything in love.”
by Melanie Bidiuk
