Billy Graham in Norwich: 'it all started in 1984'
Social worker Jeannie Pleban from Great Yarmouth, worked behind the scenes at the Billy Graham Mission England crusade at Carrow Road in Norwich 40 years ago, and it changed her life and that of her husband Eddie. This is their story.
As part of Park Baptist Church in Great Yarmouth I volunteered to help out at the Crusade. I was asked to work the night shift, collating and filing the names and addresses of those who had made a commitment that evening so that they could receive follow up.
Working in the office at Carrow Road, was a young man named Kevin Woods who spoke enthusiastically about the YMCA in Norwich, its Pastor Dave Macfarlane and the work they did with homeless young people.
Some weeks later a young woman came to our home and asked if we, or someone we knew, could help her to withdraw from drug use. Remembering what Kevin had told me, I rang the YMCA and asked to speak to Dave Macfarlane and he suggested we take the young woman to him and he would make arrangements to help and support her.
As we walked down the steps of the YMCA after taking the young woman, and we stepped out onto St Giles, Eddie said “This is the one place on earth I would love to work”. I visited the young woman and during my visits talked to Dave and his wife about the work of the YMCA and when I got home I told Eddie all about it.
Eddie was working on the rigs at the time as Night Chef/baker. The next time I visited the young woman, Dave asked if Eddie would be interested in a job as Catering Manager and after an interview, God granted Eddie’s wish and he started work at the YMCA on October 8, 1984. In his 27 years at the YMCA, Eddie rose to become Housing Services Manager and, as well as supporting hundreds of young people, he helped to set up the accommodation at John Drake House in Norwich.
As many know, on February 6, 2011, on a return journey from visiting our youngest daughter in Australia, Eddie had a brain stem stroke on the plane and we were told he had “48 hours to live, barring a miracle”. People worldwide prayed for him and though he was completely paralysed, he lived. God was generous and much of his movement returned and he now whizzes around the City in a powered wheelchair and supports stroke survivors one-to-one and online.
I volunteered at the YMCA and supported some of the young people, the majority of whom had been traumatised by their life experiences. I was concerned that, in working with them, I did not want to traumatise them further. So in 1994 I went to City College and then UEA and, in 1998, qualified as a Social Worker. I retired in 2014, but God doesn’t do ‘retired’.
Due to family circumstances, in 2022, I contacted an organisation called Restitute for support. Three months later I was offered a job as part-time support worker and now, at the age of almost 76, with the help of God, I support families who’ve been victims of violent crime, sexual and domestic abuse.
And it all started in an office at Carrow Road at the Billy Graham Crusade.
If you have a personal story to tell of the Mission England events in Norwich, please email keith.morris@networknorwich.co.uk with details and a picture
Read more about Jeannie and Eddie here.
Pictured above Jeannie and Eddie back in 2011. Picture by Keith Morris.