Andrew spent the first few months in England painting the WEC headquarters building (Bulstrode). While living at Bulstrode, Andrew began spending time with God at the beginning of everyday – a Quiet Time. This was something that Andrew found helpful and endeavored to do every day of his life. Once Andrew had finished painting Bulstrode, he then moved in with Mr and Mrs Hopkins. Living with Mr and Mrs Hopkins, they developed a wonderful relationship. Andy learned so much from the couple because they were utterly without self-consciousness and opened up their home to drunks and beggars.

After receiving missionary training in Scotland, Brother Andrew travelled to Poland in 1955 to participate in a Communist youth rally. He travelled there with a suitcase full of Christian tracts. Arriving there, he discovered that churches behind the Iron Curtain were isolated and in need of encouragement. God's Smuggler Van der Bijl’s passing happened the same week as the general assembly of the World Evangelical Alliance’s (WEA) Arab world region, and pastors there paid tribute.

It's easy to forget how dangerous it was to go behind the "Iron Curtain." The book captures the excitement and danger of smuggling Bibles and tracts to various countries in Eastern Europe, as well as to Russian. (For example, in the chapter, "For Russian with Love.") Many of the stories involve his worn Volkswagen beetle, which one mechanic claimed could only be running through God's miraculous intervention. We'll help you on your journey by sending you regular prayer resources. We'll also send you a free copy of God's Smuggler, Brother Andrew's best-selling book, to inspire you as you say 'Yes' to God. The point of this is, thanks to you ministry and the way you reached out to folk – countless others have been reached and saved and seen miracles happen b the Grace of God. I will love meeting you in heaven and if you will let me, i would love to give u a big hug then. God Bless you! louise haddaway Reply

Soon after becoming a Christian, Brother Andrew attended a an evangelistic meeting taken by a Dutch evangelist Arne Donker. At this meeting Andrew responded to the call to become a missionary. This call to share the good news of salvation started at home, with Andrew and his friend Kees holding an evangelistic event with Pastor Donker in their home town of Witte. In 1955, a young Dutch missionary went to a Communistyouth congress in Poland, at that time a part of the Soviet bloc. But he wasn’t a communist: he was a Christian. His suitcase contained his Bible, a change of clothes and hundreds of tracts entitled The Way of Salvation, which he intended to give away. In September 1953, Brother Andrew started his studies at the WEC Glasgow bible college. Over the entrance of the wooden archway of the college were the words‘have faith in God’. During the following two years whilst studying, Andrew learned about having faith in God and put his faith into practice in many ways. The Kings Way Today, Open Doors has bases and staff all over the world. The next generation of ‘Brother Andrews’ still smuggle Bibles into regions that are hostile to the faith. They still go wherever needed to show the marginalised, isolated and persecuted Christians around the world that they are not forgotten and never alone. The step of yes Yet God repeatedly protected him, closing the eyes of military police and the government and made a way for him to bring hope into the darkest of places. He became known as "God's Smuggler".

In 2003, in California, he was given the Heritage of Faithfulness Award from the Christian Association of Senior Adults. One example of God providing miraculously was when Andrew needed to pay his visa. When Andrew received a visitor the day before he needed to send off his application for a visa, he was confident that the visitor would have come to give him money to pay for the visa. But the visitor was Richard, a man who Andrew had met in the slums in Glasgow. Richard had not come to give, but to ask. Andy explained that he had no money himself to give to Richard, but as he spoke, Andy saw a Shilling on the floor. This shilling was how much Andy needed to pay for his visa which would mean he could stay at the bible school. Rather than keeping the Shilling for himself, Andrew gave the Shilling to Richard. Andy had done what he knew was right, but how would God provide? Minutes later, Andy received a letter and in it was 30 Shillings! God had provided in His way, a Kingly Manner of provision.

Eastern Europe was not his only target. He also took Bibles into Communist Cuba, explaining that the Caribbean island was easier to visit than the US because Dutch citizens did not need a visa. In June 1981 he co-ordinated an operation known as Project Pearl, overseeing the delivery to China in a single night of one million American-printed, Chinese-language Bibles. On another occasion, after visiting the church in Uganda, he learnt that his name was on a list of people whom Idi Amin, the country’s dictator, wanted executed. The world first became aware of Brother Andrew’s ministry when his biography, God’s Smuggler, written with John and Elizabeth Sherrill, was published in 1967. It was translated into 35 languages and sold 10 million copies, becoming one of the best-selling Christian books of all time. A comic-book adaptation was published in 1972. During Easter 2018, the then-Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt wrote to Brother Andrew, saying, “I would like to express my personal thanks for the extraordinary and courageous support you have provided to the persecuted Church throughout the years. Bruins, Gerald (27 September 2022). "Open Doors-oprichter Anne van der Bijl overleden: hij gaf de vervolgde kerk een gezicht"[Open Doors founder Anne van der Bijl passed away: he gave the persecuted church a face]. www.nd.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 27 September 2022 . Retrieved 27 September 2022.All in all, I found GOD'S SMUGGLER to be an inspiring book, offering encouragement to Christians interested in spreading the Gospel. I had forgotten that Brother Andrew was actually from the Netherlands.

In "God's Smuggler," Brother Andrew tells his own story of smuggling Bibles to Christians behind the Iron Curtain. When he first started this ministry, he just went alone and carried Bibles and literature with him. He began to see just how limited religious freedom was in many of the Communist countries, and his burden grew to get as many Bibles to as many people as possible. In some cases, he found churches with no Bibles in their possessions. Just bringing one single Bible to such a fellowship would bring tears of gratitude and appreciation. It is indeed moving to read of these people who thirsted for Word of God and were not allowed to have it. If you have a heart for missions, this is a must-read. I regret not having read this book sooner, but having read it now, I will not ignore its powerful message and example.

Everyday obedience

Accidentally read the “young reader’s edition” by mistake… I’m sure the full edition would have been better as the text certainly felt watered down and simplified in it’s utterances. Still, incredible and touching story about a man of faith. A few of the points that truly resonated and impressed me. In September 1953, Brother Andrew started his studies at the WEC Glasgow bible college. Over the entrance of the wooden archway of the college were the words ‘have faith in God’. During the following two years whilst studying, Andrew learnt about having faith in God and put his faith into practice in numerous ways. The Kings Way The book inspired numerous other missionary smugglers, provided funding to van der Bilj’s ministry Open Doors, and drew evangelical attention to the plight of believers in countries where Christian belief and practice were illegal. Van der Bijl protested that people missed the point, however, when they held him up as heroic and extraordinary. As you read his incredible story of faith and miracles, you’ll understand why we believe that all doors are open to God. The measure of celebrity he acquired from God’s Smuggler and the various sequels meant that his days of personally delivering Bibles to oppressed areas were curtailed. Instead, he embarked on tours of North America and western Europe, including several visits to Britain, evangelising, telling the story of his work and raising funds for Open Doors.