I was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I am the only child of hard-working and God-fearing parents. .My father was a factory worker and my Mom stayed at home to raise me. My childhood was a happy one in spite of the fact that I was born with two congenital defects: a nystagmus, which is an abnormal movement of the optical muscles; and a malfunctioning of the hypothalamus gland, a little gland at the base of the brain. As a child, I functioned a lot like a blind person.. I relied on my ears more than on my eyes. The gland problem caused me to be very overweight. Because of both of these limitations, I went through a lot of ridicule at school.. In spite of this, I loved school because I loved to learn..

At age 11, God called to me during a missions presentation at school. I developed such a yearning for Him. I had no one to tell me about a personal relationship with the Lord. I had no idea how to answer His call. From then on, I was constantly searching. I was out of church for about 15 years. The occult fascinated me and I started practicing Transcendental Meditation in my late teen years. Through all these dark years, the Lord protected me. I renounced all of it when I came to know Him as my Lord and Savior and I got rid of all my “dark books”.

In 1973, I was privileged to go to Spain with my college for the summer, on a study trip. Though I didn’t know the Lord personally, He had set up this trip for me and it was excellent preparation for other trips I would take later. In His mercy, God always prepares us for what’s ahead. He knows our future, so He knows how to shape us, and what experiences to give us to get us ready for whatever He has planned for us down the road. He also often places some key people that will stand by us through hard times. My Mom was the Number #1 person in that role throughout my childhood and teen years.

Back from Spain, in the fall of 1973, my parents took me to the Braille Institute in Montreal at the recommendation of my ophthalmologist, Dr. Brunette. Glasses wouldn’t work for me. The Institute offered me a telescopic lens and a hand-held cataract magnifier that did marvels for me. Looking back, I can see that the Lord used my eye doctor, to give me hope and encouragement. Dr. Brunette also pointed me in the right direction to get the right kind of help for me. He was humble enough and honest enough to admit that he couldn’t do anything for me and yet, by making a good referral, he did a lot for me. He didn’t leave me without options. .He wrote a reference letter for me, stating my vision situation, and affirming my efforts- in life. He was a real blessing to me. He gave me hope.