Canada
itself is a smaller place since
Alvan Gamble, member of the
order of Canada, died this summer
in Ottawa.
He
felt his life was constantly
driven by God’s plan for it.
The best example was during
World War II when as a flight
instructor he ran to get a parachute
from a locker so he could go
on practice flight with his
students. The key somehow wouldn’t
turn in the lock; by the time
he got back, the flight had
gone without him. Tragically,
the aircraft hit a tree shortly
after take off and everyone
aboard was killed.
His
long life was full of other
instances of God’s love. Leaving
school at 16 in the Great Depression
as an atheist, he began work
as an office boy in Toronto
for $12 a week. Later he worked
the 4pm-midnight shift in a
Hamilton soap factory so he
could complete high school.
His faith had been rekindled
at a local church, so he also
began a correspondence course
with the Moody Bible Institute.
When
World War II began, he joined
the air force and married Jean,
who was allowed to keep her
job only because her husband
was in Europe on active duty.
Afterwards, he became an advisor
on employee policies and communications,
which included funding jobs
for some Canadians of origin
in Japan. The Gambles later
resolved that they would be
open to any opportunity God
sent their way and they were
soon off to Indianapolis working
with Quakers to defuse racial
tensions.
They
returned to Canada in the ‘50's
to work with the Canada Mental
Health Association and later
a Children Aid Society and a
Board of Health. Leaving one
job over a principle, he was
called by a large pharmaceutical
company inviting him to do public
service for it in Philadelphia.
When a change in ownership made
continuing there impossible,
Alvan joined a generic drug
manufacturer in Canada as a
manager. This role got him doing
some writing, which was helped
by a University extension course
in journalism. He soon began
to help the late radio commentator,
Bob Hesketh, write commentaries
which were for many years carried
on 30 radio stations across
Canada.
His
next role was an international
one: visiting the Soviet Union
as a journalist, with his accounts
of the trip being carried in
Faith Today and Christian
Week. One consequence of
the campaign by him and others
was that Mikhail Gorbachev allowed
the Salvation Army to return
to Moscow and St. Petersberg.
The
Gamble family life was similarly
blessed. Unable to have children
for medical reasons, they became
the first Ontario couple
to adopt three children of non-European
origin. He thinks he was awarded
the Order of Canada because
Jean and he had pushed new concepts
in community and health services.
The
Gambles modest financial resources
were available to many. At one
point, they were audited by
Revenue Canada because their
donations were such a large
part of their income. No fault
was found. They have helped
many people.
In
short, Alvan Gamble was a model
citizen for all of us of any
faith.
