During the Annual Convention of the German Gideon Association, which was held on 20-23 May in Schwerin, North Germany, a testimony was given by W. Albert Wilson, a former NASA employee and Gideon from Tuscaloosa, which told how a rocket engineer was converted to a Christian through the Gideon Ministry.

The key character in this touching story is the world famous German born rocket engineer and pioneer of space travel, Wernher von Braun, who passed away in 1977, said Wilson.

When presenting for the Gideons’ ministry at a church in Morgan County, Alabama, Wilson was invited by von Braun’s secretary to his office because he was very worried of NASA’s rocket and space program. Wilson urged him to seek God’s guidance, and finally he asked and accepted Jesus into his heart.

“When I left the office, I knew that he had become a Christian,” recalled Wilson.

Von Braun often kept the Gideon bible that Wilson had given him in his office, and attended a Lutheran church. Later Wilson even found that his Bible was worn.

Throughout history, there have been numerous scientists that have been converted to Christianity as they looked into the amazingly well-structured nature and universe. “Since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Roman 1: 19-20

The Gideons, founded in 1899, are Christian laymen engaged in distributing the Bible with the aim of winning others for Christ. They are best known for placing Bibles in hotel rooms. The association has 236,000 members in 179 countries. They distribute more than 59 million Scriptures each year.

In 2003 the German Gideons had their most successful year so far. They distributed 695,903 Scriptures, nearly twelve per cent more than in the previous year. According to General Secretary Johannes Wendel the “Year of the Bible” 2003 helped to promote the distribution. The central Gideon office in Wetzlar receives approximately four enquiries each day from people who have received a Bible and want to get in touch with a local church.