DON SALTHOUSE
Part 1 of 2 parts
"I was just 21 years old when the Doctor's declared my spine in-operable and told me there was nothing they could do, 'you're stuffed'. Realising I would not be playing sport again, never run again, dive again, never windsurf, or sail again hit me hard, but I was in agony. As a boat broker I could barely walk down the marina pier, let alone climb aboard a boat or take buyers out for sea trials. I would stand on the dock and tell people where the key for the boat was, calling down the hatch giving them instructions where things were located. It was a horrible time in my life and as I knew the Lord, I got on my knees before Him crying out for help. A pamphlet came through our mailbox inviting people to a full gospel healing meeting and I decided to give it a go. I was stunned as the visiting evangelist prayed for people and they were falling down like trees and being healed. I procrastinated till the very end but eventually went up the front and this guy I had never met before puts his hand on my shoulder and started telling me all the medical details about my spine. I looked fine and healthy on the outside, so how did he know? I was sitting on a chair, and he got down on his knees in front of me and put his index fingers under the heel of each shoe and started to pray, very loudly. The whole right side of my body just went nuts. My right knee was jumping around; my right leg was shaking in all directions and people in the audience were astonished as they actually saw my leg grow. He stopped praying and looked at my shoe from either side. I had never felt anything so incredible as my right femur bone felt like it was being stretched, not painfully, but I could feel it growing. I was completely healed! I ran all the way home! That healing encounter transformed my faith forever and set the course for the rest of my journey.
"I had been brought up in a loving Christian home and although I knew Jesus, I did not know this living healing miracle working God. My healing left me with a lifelong hunger to know Him more. I marvel at the way God has used my passion for sailing for His purposes. So much of my journey has been learning to hear His voice and trusting His voice.
"I was on a delivery trip from Picton up the West Coast to Auckland, delivering a big steel boat with my younger brother as crew. As we neared the top of New Zealand we knew we were getting low on diesel and there was nowhere close to refuel. My brother was dipping the measuring stick into the tank every 3 hours and the level steadily decreased. All I could do was pray. Lord multiply the remaining fuel in our tanks. My brother was scratching his head as on the next check the level had not changed. 9 hours later he said, there was something weird happening with the diesel tanks. He knew we were running out of diesel, he himself had checked it. But we never ran out! When we dropped anchor, he rechecked again. I told him I had prayed for this miracle and God had delivered. He was mystified. But the Lord had not finished. We were ready to set off again to complete the delivery trip, but there was a big storm forecast. The Lord told me to continue on as He was going to speak to my brother in the middle of the storm. We got down towards Cape Brett at night, and we were using more or less dead reckoning as there was not GPS in those days. The big Easterly was smacking the boat around and the wind was howling. We had two headsails lashed to the bow and one was coming untied so one of us had to go forward to secure it. My brother offered to go, but I said to him I would go instead 'If you were swept over the side tonight, do you know where you're going? I've got my ticket paid for, so I will go'. I was safe but over the next couple of hours we took a beating. The wind howled and rained cats and dogs. Finally, I got so sick of it and stood up on the stern of the boat and did what Jesus did. I commanded the wind to calm down and the seas to ease. Within half an hour it was a totally different night. The easterly that usually lasts for days abated and we sailed on in calm seas under a beautiful moonlit night. We sat together in the calm and talked about the miracle we had both just seen. He gave His heart to the Lord soon after and now helps run Orama Christian camp at Great Barrier Island. That is what faith is about. Trusting the God who answers prayer.
"Some time later I felt lead to buy a boat and spent time looking around the Mediterranean region for the right vessel. I didn't find anything suitable and after returning to New Zealand I saw a yacht for sale. It was lying in Picton and needed a lot of work, but I knew the Warwick 53 to be a well-built boat out of my Uncle’s boat building yard. I looked online at the photos and that night couldn't sleep. As I prayed the next morning the Lord directed me to make an offer directly to the owner, well under the asking price. I drew up a contract and presented my offer. I was advised there was another offer on the table, but if I came up with $10K they would sell the boat to me. I didn't feel any peace about the increased amount and when I prayed again, the Lord said to me quite clearly, I have already told you the price. I resent my original offer explaining the current owner would be better off not paying brokerage fees. My offer was accepted subject to a sea trial. After I had checked it all out, I felt to pause and ask the Lord if I was doing what He wanted me to do. As an answer, He gave me Philippians 2:13 "for it is God who works in you to will and act in order to fulfil His good purpose". I pondered what that meant and how He would use me for His purpose with this vessel.
"On board with my brother, we set out from Picton up the East coast of New Zealand to take the boat to Auckland. As we sailed around the east cape we got slammed by 40 knot winds and decided to shelter under the cliffs at Hicks Bay. The winds increased over the next few days, and I had time to think about the purchase of the boat and God's purpose. We sat at anchor waiting for the wind to abate and one day, saw an upside-down inflatable in the water. We were able to rescue the guy in the water getting blown out to sea who told us there was another guy diving that would need to be rescued also. I felt strongly God had placed a tool in my hands for reaching people for His purpose’.