'Miracles, sacrifice and hope in the midst of adversity' - family's impact on communities in Derbyshire and Africa are charted in new book

In the 1940s Walter and Hilda Hawkins and their baby daughter Pearl set sail for the then Belgian Congo, avoiding German U-boats en route, to deliver the gospel and humanitarian aid to groups in central Africa.

The family spent many years there before returning to England where Walter was given the role of Overseas Missions Director for Assemblies of God Great Britain (AoG GB).

Walter’s calling as a missionary arose from his experiences during childhood. His parents - Walter (senior) and Lottie of Grassmoor - had a role to play in establishing the Assembly of God (AoG) at Holmewood (now Abundant Life Christian Centre) and pastoring the AoG at North Wingfield (which merged with Clay Cross AoG in the 1990s).

A guest preacher at North Wingfield AoG laid hands on the young Walter and prayed: 'Father, make this lad a missionary for the Belgian Congo!' In Walter's words: 'From that moment, my path in life was set and my vision clear; I was going to be a missionary.'

At the age of 12 Walter had a dream in which he tramped down an overgrown path, crossed a shallow river and climbed up a path to a village of thatched huts. There he saw an artefact made of shells which he was told the villagers worshipped. He said: “Immediately, I knew I was in the Congo. Then the vision faded.”

These fascinating anecdotes are related in the newly published book Showers of Pentecost which contains recollections of the Hawkins family – miracle stories and testimonies of triumphing in the midst of dangerous and difficult situations.

Hilda and Walter’s daughter, Pearl Spencer, a technical author by profession, spent 20 years recording her family’s experiences for the book in between work, motherhood and looking after her elderly mum and dad. Sadly, Pearl never got to finish the book because she died from ovarian cancer in 2021.

Ben Allsop, who is associate leader of Abundant Life Christian Centre at Holmewood, said: “Her widower, Mick, wanted to see Pearl's vision for the book come to pass - but in his grief, felt unable to progress the project any further. Given my family have known the Hawkins family for generations ... that I have a background of writing and a love for Pentecostal history ... Mick gave the chapters to me to do with them what I could. I began reading the chapters and continued reading through the night until I finished! I resolved to take the loose chapters, edit them, format them, add a preface and postscript, ask Professor William K Kay (Pentecostal scholar) to write a commendation and get the book to print! I have spent two plus months of evenings and weekends finishing the book and getting it published, with Pearl's widower's approval.

"I felt quite strongly that contemporary Christians - and anyone, to be honest - ought to read this book and be inspired by its accounts of miracles, sacrifice and hope in the midst of adversity.

"The book is predominantly a family memoir – so the vast majority of stories were experienced first-hand by Pearl or her parents or grandparents. Hilda Hawkins’ parents –William and Florrie Potter - pioneered and pastored the AoG in Bonsall (Village Life Church, as it is now called).

Ben, 30, who is head of science at a secondary school, said: "I didn't know Pearl personally but I suspect her vision for the book would be the same as mine, inspired by Psalm 78:4 - 'We will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about His power and His mighty wonders’.”

Showers of Pentecost is available to buy from Amazon, priced £12, or contact Ben via email on [email protected]