A LIFE in GOD'S HANDS

I have asked a dear friend, Anne Riethmuller, to share her story with us. A few years ago she had a very traumatic experience.

I was 16 years of age in 1968 when the Evangelist Billy Graham came to Sydney and preached the good news of Jesus Christ. As I listened that day I heard that God loved me so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins. I believed this and accepted Jesus as my Saviour, received His forgiveness and became a child of God. As a consequence my life has changed dramatically.

I now have real joy in knowing more about Christ and my heavenly Father from the Scriptures. I strongly feel Christ’s presence with me each day.

After my acceptance of Christ I began to attend Fairfield Brethren Church. It was the people of this church who took me to the Billy Graham Crusade in their rickety old bus. While at that church I learned about how to live faithfully as a Christian, as well as how to be useful and helpful in my contribution to church life. I met many wonderful friends in that church and in their exciting and active youth group.

It was here that I met Michael Riethmuller. He is a high school teacher and came from a wonderful godly family. His ideals were high and wanted to see me grow in my Christian faith. As I grew we were attracted to each other and eventually married in 1979. We now have 3 grown up children and even a delightful grandchild. Each of our children have come to know Christ and are very active in their local churches. God has blessed us in so many ways.

 In 2009 I had a very serious fall at home and woke up from an induced coma in hospital with amnesia (not the Hollywood type). It would be 8 months before I returned home (not including weekend visits). During this time many people (including many whom I did not know) were praying for me and I felt that my life was entirely in God’s hands. I had a peace about God’s plan for me that if He called me home to Heaven I would be with Him and that I would not regret that shortening of my life.  I still bare some of the effects of this accident but my desire is to move on with my life with God’s help.

I endeavour to live according to scriptural principles. My desire is that people will see in me a Christ-centred person who cares and loves those I meet. And I hope they would see I have something they do not have, yet need. Yes, trusting in Jesus Christ was the greatest and most important decision I have ever made. He has given me forgiveness, a place in Heaven, a purpose, as well as strength and guidance to deal with whatever situation I face in life.

The STORY BEHIND the LENS

We often see the caption, “photo by Ramon 

Williams”, but who is this photographer?

Ramon and Dorothy Williams met in the Sydney Missionary and Bible College in 1956. After college, both felt led of the Lord to serve in Indonesia and both were called to join WEC (Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade) in 1957.

Mission policy meant they could not live in the same centre together, until they had been on the field for two years. Visas were refused in 1958 and as there was a need for a catering person and a maintenance supervisor in the same centre, they were asked if they would consider being married. Ramon replied that they would “have to pray about it!” and, after ten seconds, agreed.  They were married two weeks later. Within four months the visas were received and they arrived in East Java in June, 1959.

From 1959 to 1966 Ramon handled all the business matters for WEC and Dorothy distributed a simple gospel broadsheet called “Soon” as well as caring for two daughters and a son. When Ramon felt the Lord wanted him to head up a new department of WEC, handling audio-visuals and displays, Dorothy hesitated – hadn’t the Lord called them both to Java, now Ramon wanted to do a different type of work, perhaps in Australia.

A pregnancy was nearly terminated when it was realised Dorothy was too large and an X-ray indicated there could be a tumour involved. A second X-ray revealed – TRIPLETS! The doctors warned that the three might not live as they were too small. Dorothy took this to the Lord: “Lord, if they live, that is the seal to go home and commence a new work for WEC.”

They lived. The Williams family of Ramon and Dorothy, with Heather (8), Ruth (6), Keith (2) and Barbara, Kathleen and Julie (3 months) arrived back in Australia, November 1967.

 In 1968 Ramon noticed that no photographers were covering the 1968 Billy Graham Sydney Crusade, so offered to “supply photos, free of charge, if Christian publications could afford to print them.” He’s been doing the same ever since!

Their 50th Wedding Anniversary

In 1975 the ministry Worldwide Photos was formed, as a faith ministry, trusting the Lord for all expenses & serving others through press releases. Ramon has photographed every Royal visit to St Andrew’s Cathedral; cyclones in Darwin, Fiji, the Solomons, Vanuatu and North Queensland; droughts and floods; national gatherings and crusades; college graduations and special events in Parliament Houses – Federal and State.

None of these activities could have been attempted without the loyal support of Dorothy – meals at all hours of the day and night; caring for growing children; hospitality and nursing care. Ramon and Dorothy have had their health problems and hospital visits, but “The Lord has been faithful and we have lacked no good thing.”

Over the years, Ramon has helped my husband and I many times during our evangelistic ministry and it's a real privilege to reciprocate. And many's the occasion we'd attend and there Ramon would be, quietly going about capturing special moments in the Christian calendar in his creative service for the Lord.