He never intended to be a smuggler, for God or for anyone else. He was just twelve when war came to Holland in 1940. In 1955 he set off across Europe by train with hundreds of tracts entitled the way of salvation which he wanted to give away. Religion wasn't exactly banned under communism, but it's been co-opted by the state. Many lost their jobs and some were imprisoned. Persecuted Christians in communist countries would otherwise die.