Sarah I. Martens, a 1956 alumna, celebrated CBC’s diamond anniversary with fond memories. Originally from Black Creek, B.C., Martens travelled to the mainland to attend the school (then called MB Bible Institute) from 1953–1956, and was part of the first graduating class at the Clearbrook campus location.
When asked about the value of her Bible school training, Martens said, “It gave us a good understanding of God and how he works. It also helped us get into the Word – we did lots of Scripture memorization, and the Lord would bring those verses to mind years later.” Martens also reminisced about the many extracurricular opportunities she found: outreach in care homes, child evangelism ministry, and choir performances in various churches.
But leaving for Bible school as a single 25-year-old – much older than the typical 18 or 19 – wasn’t an easy decision. “People would say, ‘All they’re going for is to find a husband.’ So I didn’t want to attend. Then, after my friends came back from CBC, I made a decision. I said to myself, ‘I don’t care what they say – I’m going!’”
For this bold woman, being part of the CBC community was a “character building” adventure. And today, the school offers a similar adventure to hundreds more.
—Laura Kalmar
