Closer to God

As a young man, Michel van Leuven, the son of a hard-working Belgian stevedore, joined the church and followed his religious compass to the Abbey of the Brothers of Piety in Central Africa--thereafter being known to most as Brother 6Mike. Brother Mike found he had exceptional skills organizing things: the Abbey's businesses, personal relationships, and even others' lives. The story follows Brother Mike as he moves from one crisis to the next, whether it be securing food for the Abbey's kitchens, helping an alcoholic chemistry professor, or trying to survive during a tumultuous period when all is being pulled to-and-fro by great political upheaval. Through his various tests, Brother Mike gains support from Philip, his card-playing and beer-drinking friend, as well as Philip's wife Angela. During all his challenges, Brother Mike questions his own and others' motives--delving into the deep crevices of why we do what we do--seeking solace at a favorite fishing hole, with dear friends, or through prayer. Ultimately, Brother Mike learns he must tolerate his weaknesses, accept the unknown, and realize that at the end of the day we all share in a great basket of human frailty.

""Brutally honest in its portrayal of an aging Belgian monk trying to make sense of the political and social revolution sweeping central Africa in the 1960s, this story will capture your soul. With humor and, at times, resignation, Brother Mike of the Brothers of Piety faces the weaknesses of faith and flesh. Mr. Moehl's insights into the collision of European colonialism with the emerging consciousness of Africa's 'Land of the Eternal Spring' are well worth the read.""
--Richard Butler, Former Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa 1976-1980

John Moehl spent most of his forty-year professional life working in Africa; starting as a Peace Corps volunteer and finishing as a senior United Nations officer. During this period, in the early '80s, before the region was wracked by havoc, he lived for five years in Central Africa doing agricultural extension work. This tale is based upon these experiences. He has now retired from international work and lives in western Oregon.