Ivan Muller was born on February 9th,1915 in Stutterheim, in the Cape Province. His forefathers immigrated from Germany in 1857. Although his parents were German, he received his education in English. He was the youngest of six children.
When he was three years old, his mother and three sisters died during the flu epidemic of 1918. He grew up in poverty and his father had to work very hard in a place called “The Good Hope.”
One time at an outing with his brothers he went swimming in the Kubus River and he nearly drowned. He slipped under the water and after he disappeared for the third time his oldest brother jumped in to save him. He had already turned blue and was lifeless. After they turned him on his side to drain the water out of his lungs, life returned to him.
When he was older, his father gave him a few sheep to look after in his free time. At times while he was tending the sheep, he looked up at the heavens and desired to get to know the Good Shepherd.
After he graduated, he went to work for the Shell company and was a capable rugby player. He was drafted by the Springbok team and would have played in international matches. Because of an injury to his collarbone, he was not able to go on tour. Today we realise that this was the will of God.
One day while walking through the streets he heard a woman during an open air service say that the Lord had saved her soul. While he was wondering what this meant, a man approached him and asked him if he was saved. He answered that he was baptized in the Lutheran Church, that he completed the catechism and that he was accepted as a member. The man explained that Jesus blessed the little children and did not baptize them. The man referred him to Mark chapter 10. The disillusionment in Ivan's heart was so forceful that he decided to join the Baptist Church.
When he was three years old, his mother and three sisters died during the flu epidemic of 1918. He grew up in poverty and his father had to work very hard in a place called “The Good Hope.”
One time at an outing with his brothers he went swimming in the Kubus River and he nearly drowned. He slipped under the water and after he disappeared for the third time his oldest brother jumped in to save him. He had already turned blue and was lifeless. After they turned him on his side to drain the water out of his lungs, life returned to him.
When he was older, his father gave him a few sheep to look after in his free time. At times while he was tending the sheep, he looked up at the heavens and desired to get to know the Good Shepherd.
After he graduated, he went to work for the Shell company and was a capable rugby player. He was drafted by the Springbok team and would have played in international matches. Because of an injury to his collarbone, he was not able to go on tour. Today we realise that this was the will of God.
One day while walking through the streets he heard a woman during an open air service say that the Lord had saved her soul. While he was wondering what this meant, a man approached him and asked him if he was saved. He answered that he was baptized in the Lutheran Church, that he completed the catechism and that he was accepted as a member. The man explained that Jesus blessed the little children and did not baptize them. The man referred him to Mark chapter 10. The disillusionment in Ivan's heart was so forceful that he decided to join the Baptist Church.
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