From the inception of the ministry in 1993 all the way until 2010, Amazing Discoveries operated out of the basement of the Goubej home. From this base, we shipped out VHS and audio cassettes, and eventually DVDs. Here was housed our editing studio, our shipping department, our administration and accounting offices, and our production equipment.

Nestled in a residential area, the operations grew from a handful of people to almost 15 workers. Every square inch was used to the maximum. Shelves of product lined every available wall. Closets were filled to the brim with boxes. One staff member even worked in a closet! Desks were side-by-side and back-to–back. We were one cozy family of workers with very little space.

In 2010, God opened the doors for Amazing Discoveries to join the Galaxy 19 satellite network with our own channel. Several people urged us to take this opportunity, and in a nervous step of faith we signed the contract and the channel was launched. We were to begin broadcasting May 1, and we started up the steep learning curve of satellite broadcasting.

There was one thing we knew we needed and didn’t have – a studio. Where would we make more presentations in order to fill 24 hours of 7 days a week of satellite programming?

We added up all the hours of footage we had recorded, and it was less than 500 hours. We would be recycling our programs quite heavily with this small amount of hours. We knew we needed a studio, but we also knew there was no more room in the cramped little basement, as we were already taking over the rest of the house. Something had to be done.

We had already been searching for a new building, but now the search began in earnest. All kinds of options presented themselves, from large mansion houses or raw land on which we would have to build. But nothing seemed right. We prayed earnestly that God would show us where He wanted us to be and how He would direct this ministry next. Since God had opened the doors for the channel, surely He knew we needed a studio. Where was the building He had in mind for us? As we looked around, everything seemed out of reach for our meager funds. We knew we needed to borrow money for there simply was not enough in our reserves to cover a building. Would the bank even give us any money?

Then one day, Dagmar, who still had her realtor's licence, stumbled upon an old Mennonite church for sale in rural Langley area. This church’s membership had dwindled down to almost nil, so the Mennonite association decided it was time to sell the building. The building came furnished with pews, a fully equipped kitchen and a few desks. It needed work as nothing had been updated for years, but it was workable.

We asked God to bless the situation if this was His will, and Dagmar immediately made an offer somewhat lower than asking price. It was a Friday in December 2009 and we earnestly prayed asking God if this was the building we should have and if yes, then that God would make it ours by a miracle. The listing realtor laughed at the offer Dagmar presented. He had 3 highly interested parties waiting for their board to write an offer on the building, and his own already written offer was supposed to be presented at 5:00 pm at asking price, and he was confident the Mennonite association would want to wait until his own offer came in. Our offer had subjects and we weren’t sure the bank would even loan us any money. But Dagmar needed an answer by 4:00 pm as Sabbath was drawing near. Not only that, she asked for all the furnishings including the piano. The realtor told Dagmar, “You’re crazy to make such an offer and to expect them to answer you by 4:00. I guarantee they won’t even look at your offer. They will wait until mine comes in. And the piano doesn’t even belong to the church. It belongs to a church member. There’s no chance.” In a sudden impulse, Dagmar responded, “The piano is non-negotiable. The building must come with it.” Thus she left it with him, insisting he was required by law to present her offer by the specified time. Dagmar wasn’t sure why she had insisted upon the piano, except that she knew we would need it, and believed that God was a kind Father. If this was from Him, perhaps He would grant it, and do abundantly more than we hoped.

We waited nervously, but knowing that God was in charge. We had learned a few lessons of faith and trust in the previous years. If He wanted this building it would work out. If He didn’t, He would find something else. When 4:00 arrived, there was no phone call; 4:05 and still no call. At 4:10 the phone rang. Dagmar answered and the listing realtor on the other end said, “Dagmar, who are you?”

She asked, “What do you mean?”

“You must know someone in high places. Who do you know?”

With a tingle of joy, Dagmar knew already something special had happened. She smiled and said, “God. That’s who I know. What do you have for me? ”

The realtor answered angrily, “They didn’t even wait for my offer. I can’t believe it! They didn’t care about my already written offer. They did not care about the other 3 customers promising to buy the building. They simply accepted your offer without question! The building is yours including the piano. I just can’t believe it. This has never happened before!"

Getting funds from the bank was our next hurdle, and we weren’t sure they would approve our request, but we knew that if God had already worked miraculously to obtain the building, He surely would help us at the bank as well. Indeed, shortly thereafter, the bank approved our request for funds, and we were able to complete the purchase of the building with a mortgage.

It has now been 3 years since we moved into the new building. After doing many renovations, Amazing Discoveries now has a lovely little guest house for guests and speakers, a studio for recording and public events, and offices for the increasing number of staff. In fact, sometimes we feel we have already outgrown this facility and need to start looking for another one.

We see God’s hand in the way He obtained the building for us, and His unbelievable blessing as He has helped us increase the programming we now have available for the satellite channel, and the staff needed to operate the ministry. We often aren’t sure why we are so privileged to be a part of this amazing ministry, but with a sense of awe we move forward, asking the Lord to always be before us.

We solicit your daily prayers for the staff and the mission of Amazing Discoveries – that we will stay faithful and follow the Lord whereever He may lead next.