How the Gospel Came to Austria’s Children
In 1955 — the very year Austria gained its independence after a decade of allied occupation, Gertrude “Trudy” Kuhlman and her partner Ruth Krueger began the work of Child Evangelism Fellowship in Austria. Trudy’s roots were Austrian; her parents had emigrated to New York after World War I. She returned with a heart for children and a conviction that they needed to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The work began among thousands of families living in refugee camps. The response was immediate. Mothers arrived with their children to hear the message of salvation, and New Testaments were distributed by the Scripture Gift Mission of London. Trudy recalled the hunger she witnessed:
“The hundreds were never enough. Women with tears clasped the Scriptures to their bosoms.”
From those early days, Trudy travelled widely — through Styria, Wels, Linz, Zeltweg, and Vienna — holding Good News Clubs and Vacation Bible Schools. In Zeltweg, children crowded so tightly into one small hall that many sat on window ledges, stairs, and tables. The eagerness to hear God’s Word was plain to see.
Grace in the Face of Opposition
Not everyone welcomed the work. At times, opposition came from local priests. But Trudy responded with grace and wisdom. When one priest threatened to discourage children from attending a club, Trudy visited him personally while the children prayed. His response was remarkable: though he couldn’t promise to encourage attendance, he promised he wouldn’t stop the children from coming. The club continued.
This is the pattern we so often see in God’s work, doors that look closed, opened through prayer and quiet faithfulness.
Gerhardt: From Night to Day
During a campaign held in a Lutheran church, an eleven-year-old boy named Gerhardt lingered with a growing sense of conviction. On the final day, he came early and asked to pray. Kneeling with Trudy, he cried out honestly to God, he had been difficult at home, his mother couldn’t manage him, and he needed a clean heart.
The Lord answered that prayer. Gerhardt’s mother wrote to say his life had turned “from night to day.” Trudy corresponded with Gerhardt for twelve years as he continued to grow in his faith. One boy, one prayer, one Saviour — and a life genuinely changed.
This is why CEF exists: not programmes or events, but children coming to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord.
*This story is taken from the book Harvest Comes in Spring by Ruth E. Turnwall, a former CEF worker.
(Image:Adobe Express)
