710:
2020), when he began smuggling Bibles into the country and offering support to persecuted
Christians. His book God's Smuggler (1964) sold more than ten million copies in 35 languages. The chief executive of Open Doors, Henrietta Blyth, said: "He leaves behind a remarkable legacy." Brother Andrew was born on 11 May 1928 in Alkmaar, in the Netherlands. He joined the colonial army of the Dutch East Indies, and converted to Christianity during a period of convalescence during which he spent much of his time reading the Bible.
229:. After being involved in a massacre of Indonesian villagers while he was serving as a soldier, he endured a period of severe emotional stress, and later was wounded in the ankle during the fighting. During his rehabilitation, he began reading a Bible given to him by his mother. When he returned to the Netherlands he started attending church and committed himself to Christianity. In 1953, Van der Bijl studied at the
33:
452:
Van der Bijl died at age 94 on 27 September 2022; he had been married for 59 years to his wife, Corry (1931–2018). They had continued to live in
Holland and were survived by five children and 11 grandchildren. At the time of his death, Open Doors was active in over 60 countries. The ministry yearly
356:
tells the story of his early childhood, conversion to
Christianity, and adventures as a Bible-smuggler behind the Iron Curtain. Due to the press exposure following the book, van der Bijl stopped personally smuggling Bibles and Christian literature to other countries, and shifted to evangelism and
709:
Brother Andrew, 'God's smuggler', dies, aged 96 THE Dutch preacher and founder of the
Christian charity Open Doors, Anne Van Der Bijl, known as Brother Andrew, who crossed the Iron Curtain to minister to churches in Warsaw, has died, aged 94. He founded Open Doors on 15 July 1955 (News, 17 July
283:
Although van der Bijl was violating the laws of all of the countries that he visited by bringing religious literature, he often placed the material in view when he was stopped at police checkpoints, as a gesture of his trust in what he believed to be God's protection.
397:
and
Israeli-occupied areas expressing great delight at the mere visit of a fellow Christian from abroad since they felt that the church in the Western world at large was mostly ignoring them. In similar fashion, van der Bijl and a companion, Al Janssen, visited
453:
distributes 300,000 Bibles and 1.5 million
Christian books and materials. The group is active in providing relief, aid, community development, and trauma counseling, while advocating for persecuted Christians around the globe.
280:, Karl de Graaf, claimed that God told him to teach van der Bijl to drive. Later, when van der Bijl was in a refugee camp in West Germany, Philip Whetstra called van der Bijl to come to the Whetstras' new house in Amsterdam.
250:. He signed up on a government-controlled Communist tour to Czechoslovakia, the only legal way to be in the country, during which he left the tour to meet with local Christian groups. Later that year, van der Bijl founded
1190:
276:, which later became the symbol of Open Doors. An older couple, the Whetstras, had given him their new car because they had prayed about it and believed that van der Bijl would need the car. A man who lived in
245:
In July 1955, van der Bijl visited
Communist Poland to attend the 5th World Festival of Youth and Students in Warsaw, where he met a Christian bookstore owner that told him about a lack of Bibles in the
940:
744:
877:
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fundraising campaigns in North
America and Europe to support Open Doors. By 2022, it had sold over 10 million copies and was published in thirty-five languages. A comic book adaptation of
303:
had put an end to relative religious freedom there. He visited with Czech
Christians and gave Bibles to the Russian occupying forces. During that decade, he also made his first visits to
265:. Open Doors was involved in smuggling Bibles and Christian literature, offering training for Christian leaders, and providing financial and other support for persecuted Christians.
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326:, did not support the practice of Bible smuggling, calling it dangerous and ineffective, and noting that Bibles were "freely on sale" in many
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307:, which was relatively easy for him to visit because the country did not require visas from Dutch citizens, to bring Bibles after the
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870:"Brother Andrew, missionary who fearlessly crossed borders to smuggle Christian literature into Communist lands – obituary"
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several times in the 1970s. In the 1990s, van der Bijl again travelled several times more to the Middle East. In his book
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in Europe, van der Bijl shifted his focus to the Middle East and worked to strengthen the church in the
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had created a hostile policy towards
Christianity and other religions, during the era of the so-called
189:. He was known for smuggling Bibles and other Christian literature into communist countries during the
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1103:[Open Doors founder Anne van der Bijl passed away: he gave the persecuted church a face].
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informers ultimately infiltrated Open Doors, and the KGB tracked van der Bijl's activities.
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1101:"Open Doors-oprichter Anne van der Bijl overleden: hij gaf de vervolgde kerk een gezicht"
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828:"Portes ouvertes, une histoire dans l'Histoire [Open doors, a story in history]"
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Brother Andrew; Sherrill, John; Sherrill, Elizabeth; featuring Jars of Clay (2001).
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414:. Arafat granted van de Bijl permission to open a Christian book store in the
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60:
1006:"Brother Andrew, famous for smuggling Bibles into Soviet Union, dies at 94"
690:
407:
327:
247:
177:; 11 May 1928 – 27 September 2022), known in English-speaking countries as
973:"The Light Force of God's Smuggler: Arab Christians Mourn Brother Andrew"
299:. He went to Czechoslovakia when the suppression by Soviet troops of the
210:
442:, having previously prayed for him, and called the operation "murder".
426:
in the 2010s, where van der Bijl attempted to meet with members of the
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418:. During the trip, van der Bijl also spoke about Christianity at the
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737:"Died: Brother Andrew, Who Smuggled Bibles into Communist Countries"
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In 1957, van der Bijl travelled to the Soviet Union's capital,
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1063:
Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ
652:
Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ
587:
The Narrow Road: Stories of Those Who Walk This Road Together
563:
447:
Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ
399:
1231:
1039:. London: Hodder & Stoughton. pp. 204/ Chapter 25.
931:"Brother Andrew's Prophetic Plea: Stop Murdering Terrorists"
544:
463:
Brother Andrew; Sherrill, John; Sherrill, Elizabeth (2001).
314:
At that time, several Christian organizations, such as the
304:
793:"BIBLES FOR COMMUNIST EUROPE – A COLD WAR STORY – PART I"
403:
331:
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and an invalid mother. In the 1940s he enlisted in the
213:, on 11 May 1928, the fourth of six children of a poor
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talks about writing with such heroes as Brother Andrew
647:
626:
545:
Brother Andrew; Jackson, Dave; Jackson, Neta (1988).
344:
In 1967, van der Bijl published the first edition of
1191:"Brother Andrew, founder of Open Doors, passes away"
605:
1161:"'God's Smuggler' Brother Andrew's Wife Corry Dies"
649:
584:
523:
502:
193:and, because of his activities, he was nicknamed "
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564:Brother Andrew; DeVore Williams, Susan (1990).
521:
483:
1059:
1301:Royal Netherlands East Indies Army personnel
1060:Andrew, Brother; Janssen, Al (1 July 2007).
864:
862:
860:
503:Brother Andrew; Conn, Charles Paul (1977).
185:and founder of the Christian organization
31:
1131:"Cornelia van der Bijl Passes Away at 86"
857:
734:
1291:Dutch expatriates in the United Kingdom
840:
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140: 1958; died 2018)
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1111:from the original on 27 September 2022
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735:Silliman, Daniel (27 September 2022).
606:Brother Andrew; Becker, Verne (2002).
422:. Later visits also included trips to
16:Dutch Christian missionary (1928–2022)
1141:from the original on 17 November 2018
943:from the original on 13 November 2018
790:
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772:, Charisma mag, USA, 28 February 2005
730:
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172:
1099:Bruins, Gerald (27 September 2022).
1003:
971:Casper, Jayson (29 September 2022).
929:Morgan, Timothy C. (18 March 2013).
825:
759:
648:Brother Andrew; Janssen, Al (2007).
627:Brother Andrew; Janssen, Al (2004).
1204:from the original on 1 October 2022
1016:from the original on 1 October 2022
985:from the original on 1 October 2022
955:
910:from the original on 1 October 2022
880:from the original on 1 October 2022
747:from the original on 1 October 2022
699:from the original on 1 October 2022
13:
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393:and Lebanese churches in Lebanon,
14:
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1171:from the original on 10 June 2022
807:from the original on 3 March 2022
337:
1232:Open Doors International Website
1004:Thom, Mike (28 September 2022).
95:Brother Andrew, "God's smuggler"
1183:
1153:
1123:
1092:
1080:from the original on 3 May 2024
1053:
1028:
997:
791:Raska, Francis D (9 May 2015).
231:WEC Missionary Training College
137:
922:
892:
819:
678:
430:. Van der Bijl criticized the
227:Indonesian National Revolution
1:
671:
368:
200:
1281:Dutch Christian missionaries
7:
848:John and Elizabeth Sherrill
445:Van der Bijl's tenth book,
350:John and Elizabeth Sherrill
320:Southern Baptist Convention
240:
10:
1317:
526:Building in a Broken World
440:killing of Osama bin Laden
432:US invasion of Afghanistan
420:Islamic University of Gaza
1198:, www.eternitynews.com.au
900:"Brother Andrew obituary"
361:was published in 1972 by
205:Van der Bijl was born in
174:[ˈɑnəvɑndərˈbɛil]
147:
121:
110:
99:
91:
68:
42:
30:
23:
1271:Converts to Christianity
1035:Andrew, Brother (2004).
566:And God Changed His Mind
456:
449:, was released in 2007.
291:in the 1960s, after the
181:, was a Dutch Christian
826:F.P. (3 October 2012).
693:, www.churchtimes.co.uk
522:Brother Andrew (1981).
486:The Ethics of Smuggling
484:Brother Andrew (1974).
381:world, having visited
363:Spire Christian Comics
316:American Bible Society
37:Brother Andrew in 2006
1296:People from Langedijk
1276:Dutch anti-communists
1200:. 28 September 2022.
906:. 29 September 2022.
876:. 29 September 2022.
854:(1967), pp. 174, 198.
846:Brother Andrew, with
695:. 30 September 2022.
686:"World news in brief"
656:. Fleming H. Revell.
633:. Fleming H. Revell.
612:. Fleming H. Revell.
507:. Fleming H. Revell.
436:2003 invasion of Iraq
324:Foreign Mission Board
287:Van der Bijl visited
263:persecuted Christians
1165:www.charismanews.com
352:. An autobiography,
104:Christian missionary
1137:. 3 February 2018.
406:leaders, including
293:Cultural Revolution
1286:Dutch evangelicals
978:Christianity Today
936:Christianity Today
741:Christianity Today
373:After the fall of
256:non-denominational
127:Corry van der Bijl
1073:978-1-4412-3891-7
663:978-0-8007-3264-6
549:. Servant Books.
547:A Time for Heroes
530:. Tyndale House.
505:Battle for Africa
488:. Tyndale House.
274:Volkswagen Beetle
223:Dutch East Indies
155:
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72:27 September 2022
25:Anne van der Bijl
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568:. Chosen Books.
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514:978-0-80070876-4
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495:978-0-84230730-7
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469:. Chosen Books.
434:in 2001 and the
309:Cuban Revolution
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92:Other names
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1066:. Baker Books.
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179:Brother Andrew
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61:North Holland
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1206:. Retrieved
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1173:. Retrieved
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1143:. Retrieved
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1115:27 September
1113:. Retrieved
1107:(in Dutch).
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1082:. Retrieved
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1018:. Retrieved
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912:. Retrieved
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836:(in French).
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811:30 September
809:. Retrieved
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751:30 September
749:. Retrieved
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701:. Retrieved
691:Church Times
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408:Ahmed Yassin
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328:Iron Curtain
313:
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248:Soviet Union
244:
237:, Scotland.
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166:van der Bijl
165:
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157:
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74:(2022-09-27)
18:
1261:2022 deaths
1256:1928 births
1145:17 November
1037:Light Force
947:12 November
630:Light Force
609:The Calling
387:Light Force
330:countries.
261:supporting
225:during the
211:Netherlands
53:11 May 1928
1250:Categories
1010:CHVN Radio
672:References
416:Gaza Strip
369:Later life
278:Amersfoort
252:Open Doors
215:blacksmith
201:Early life
187:Open Doors
183:missionary
116:Open Doors
84:Gelderland
80:Harderwijk
49:1928-05-11
1208:1 October
1175:1 October
1105:www.nd.nl
1084:1 October
1020:1 October
989:1 October
914:1 October
904:The Times
884:1 October
703:1 October
591:. Baker.
375:Communism
114:Founding
1202:Archived
1169:Archived
1139:Archived
1109:Archived
1078:Archived
1014:Archived
983:Archived
941:Archived
908:Archived
878:Archived
805:Archived
745:Archived
697:Archived
424:Pakistan
318:and the
241:Ministry
191:Cold War
148:Children
106:, author
428:Taliban
383:Lebanon
272:, in a
259:mission
235:Glasgow
221:of the
207:Alkmaar
142:
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57:Alkmaar
1070:
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395:Israel
379:Muslim
270:Moscow
209:, the
170:Dutch:
158:Andrew
122:Spouse
803:(3).
457:Books
400:Hamas
289:China
136:(
132:
1210:2022
1177:2022
1147:2018
1117:2022
1086:2022
1068:ISBN
1041:ISBN
1022:2022
991:2022
949:2018
916:2022
886:2022
813:2022
753:2022
705:2022
658:ISBN
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