"My Life Since 1968" ~ Sue Hoffman Gallinger

My Life Since 1968 ~ Sue Hoffman Gallinger

"My life since 1968" is pretty hard to write in a few paragraphs. I went to Grace Bible Institute (Grace University) in Omaha, graduating in 1972.  In 1973, after raising support, I was sent to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, by American Indian Crusade to intern in the First Nations Alliance church.  It was there that I met my wonderful husband, Ray Gallinger. We were married August 1, 1975. Ray and I went into ministry with First Nations Alliance, first in a new work in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, later we attended as lay helpers in Calgary, Alberta; then pastored in Edmonton, Alberta, a few years before we left Native ministry.

Ray now works at a driving school. When the children were all at least in junior high school, I started to work, at first as security in a hospital, but mostly as a care giver in group homes for persons with developmental delay. This was a job I loved. I had to retire early, though, because of severe arthritis in my spine.

We've had three children:  David in 1977, Kyla in 1980, and Jeff in 1982. It has been through events of my children's lives that I have learned the most in my walk with my Lord. With David, I started to learn patience and the power of healing prayer, as he developed severe asthma at 4 1/2 months. He now works as a sound recording artist and video editor. Jeff got married to Christy two years ago. He just published his first book. Kyla was ADHD, and it caused her, us, and her teachers all kinds of grief. She was also beautiful, creative, and talented. At age 13, she started to become anorexic and show signs of mental illness. As she slid into mental illness, running away, angry, cutting, suicidal, ~I learned to call Christian friends to ask for prayer, and I prayed. I learned that God gives grace and peace for things far beyond what I ever imagined. When Kyla was older, she recommitted herself to God, and was better, but still lived a roller coaster between praising God and suicidal. I continued to learn not to fear, but to trust that God is faithful, no matter what happened. Kyla could sing like an angel, and that is what I miss the most. She took her life in 2006, when she was 26. Still my testimony is, God is Faithful!

I am fairly disabled now, but still help at my church, Beverly Alliance, a little at a drop-in centre, and help run a sewing club at The Mustard Seed, a mission downtown.

Ray, Sue, Christy, Jeff, David 

Kyla Gallinger

Sue & Ray with Pixie