April 18, 2007
By CDR Charles J. Anderson, Chaplain 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit/Task Force Linebacker
Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, is a remote area, accessible only by helicopter, SUV, or military tactical vehicle. Our outing here was very good. We were away from our camp outside of Tarin Kowt about 5 hours, from morning to midday, and it was hot.
Tarin Kowt’s people are pitifully destitute. Everything is in shambles. The clinic is in deplorable condition, but it is a place to receive patients. The building has no electrical power or running water—all infrastructure large and small has crumbled.
Talking With the Children
The children are darling and shy, but they compete desperately for handouts. After I gained situational awareness within the clinic compound, I knelt in a shady area and the children began to approach me, a towering giant. They became less intimidated when I removed my boonie cover and they saw my short grey hair. Grey hair receives respect from Afghans.
Then, I removed my dark glasses so they could see my eyes. Some Afghans wear eyeglasses, but it is rare. I mimed not being able to see the children without my glasses, and then I donned them and expressed delight at seeing the children. They giggled in response.
I showed the children my earplugs, flashlight, multi-tool, canteen, and first aid kit. I thought about pulling out my whistle and blowing it, but figured they would want to blow it, too. So, I kept it hidden.
The children pointed to my nametape, so I taught some of them to say “ANDERSON,” and pointed to myself. They pointed to my oak leaf cluster insignia, so I touched the leaves of the nearby tree and said, “leaves.” They pointed to the cross on my flak/ballistic vest and made the sign of the cross with their fingers, so I pointed to myself, patted my heart and pointed heavenward, saying, “I love Allah.”
Then I pointed to the children, patted my heart and pointed heavenward, while asking, “Do you love Allah?” They nodded, but I do not think they understand the concept of a loving God.
Joe, Ann-Margaret, and Iris
One little boy I named “Joe” was not shy. He seemed to like that I called him Joe. One girl I called “Ann-Margaret” because she reminded me of that beautiful, saucy actress as she chewed bubble gum and blew bubbles.
Another girl I named “Iris” because of her beautiful pale eyes. The girls seem to like wearing the color green. Some of the Afghans, it seems especially females, are rather fair with pale eyes. The women from puberty to menopause cover themselves, including their faces, with blue pleated burkas or other dark full-body covering.
High Child Mortality Rates
Most women have many children; {meanwhile] Afghanistan’s mortality rate among children from birth to 4 years of age is 25 percent. Girls and old women leave their faces in plain view while covering their heads. Boys and unmarried young men wear small ornate caps; married men add a turban to their headgear.
Mullahs (community religious scholars) usually wear white turbans. Everyone squats on the ground or floor; if they take a bench or another chair, they will squat upon it.
Poignant Needs
Three medical cases were particularly poignant. A toddler had a huge abscessed left eye and a cataract on her right eye. The docs sent her to a hospital, and said her left eye was, likely, beyond salvaging.
A small boy who had had a closed head trauma several months ago was semi-comatose and skeletal. The docs said there was nothing they could do for him. I laid my hands on him and prayed for him. One man carried his young burka-clad wife into the clinic because she was too weak to walk due to a neurological condition.
The Plight of Girls
The hands of “Ann-Margaret,” and some other children and women, were stained a rust red. I was told this indicated a male baby in the household. Male children are doted upon, whereas girls have to grovel for anything they can get.
We tossed field ration bread and candy to the children and they pounced upon it like wolves. Earlier I had tried to hand goodies to the children and was overwhelmed by a throng of competing kids. Again, the girls seemed most desperate for anything material and for the intangible, our attention.
We Americans have it all: the gospel and wealth. Afghans have none of that. They are largely devoid of the gospel, a fact that grinds inwardly upon anyone whose heart is entwined with the heart of the Savior.
What You Can Do
Pray for Afghanistan’s broken, spiritually lost people who are in desperate need of their heavenly Father’s love.
Chaplain Chuck Anderson retired from the U.S. Navy Chaplaincy in 2008. He serves in the Southwestern District as a Regional Ministry Coordinator for The Alliance. He lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
by Army Chaplain Erik Gramling
On his second deployment, Chaplain Gramling accompanied his unit from Germany to Kuwait for 15 months, returning to his family in Germany in summer 2009.
I arrived at Sabre Army Airfield (at Fort Campbell) and walked to the front of the line where 30 Blackhawk crews were doing their final checks and readying themselves for take off. Fort Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Division. On this day the Blackhawks were being sent to the port in Jacksonville, Florida, to be disassembled and placed on a sailing vessel for deployment in Kuwait.
I went from bird to bird, chatting, laughing, praying, and reading from Psalm 62. The Blackhawks took off by company every 45 minutes. This gave me close to 30 minutes with each company before it got too loud to hear.
While some crews were revving up, I could do little more than pat the pilots on their shoulders and fold my hands together pointing to the sky to tell them that I was praying for them. But before all the companies took flight, I was able talk with almost everyone.
As they took off, it was a site to see . . . truly awesome. These are the days that I think, “Wow, I’m being paid to do this!”
But that doesn’t mean it was easy.
During the drive in, I was praying for courage and boldness. It’s so easy to feel insignificant and out of place at times. But, the key for me is remembering that I’m to be a godly encouragement to the soldiers. Some will reject me (Christ), but many others will be happy to see me and be prayed for. It is this thought that I held on to and went in His name.
After the deployment, I was able to spend another hour talking to a few sergeants and I was thankful for the extended time with the troops.
Please pray for a soldier named Adam (not his real name). He is a good solider who has made bad decisions and is reaping the fruits of sin. Two days prior to the Blackhawk deployment, he told me that he turned back to God and had given everything over to Him. It gave us a good chance to talk about sin and repentance . . . and the need to be in fellowship with other believers. He has suffered in his relationship with his sergeants and I encouraged him to win back their trust. Pray for Adam to make it and for him to truly seek Jesus!
By FBOP Chaplain Carlos González
Imagine this: You are called to become the pastor of a church in the town referred to as the ”middle-of-nowhere.” The population is about 1,600, all male, all have problems with the law (some still proclaim they are innocent), and there is one social class. There is one “supermarket” (AKA, the ”Commissary”), there is one standard of life, everyone eats in the same place, there is one police station, one mayor (the “Warden”), one recreational park, one hospital, one school, one factory, and of course, one church.
This town’s population is made of men from all parts of the world. Different languages are spoken, and different cultures and practices are represented here. In “middle-of-nowhere,” 15 different religions are practiced.
One thing “middle-of-nowhere” is not missing is rules. There are hundreds of rules, procedures, policies, and laws enforced in this town. The residents of “middle-of-nowhere” work in certain areas, but everyone is in charge of the rules. “Middle-of-nowhere” residents work in certain areas, but the people keeping the rules and providing the services in this town do not live here, they are “outsiders” (”staff”).
As a pastor, you are one of the “outsiders.”
The big thing about this town is “SECURITY.” Everything is driven by it, and everybody (including you) is responsible for it. Now, as I said, you are called by God to become the pastor of the church in “middle-of-nowhere.” If you accept God’s call, there are few conditions that “middle-of-nowhere” expects you will submit to.
First, you are to be the pastor for all “middle-of-nowhere” residents. They expect that you will express God’s love to every residents (even those that do not attend your service) and to the “outsiders” as well.
Second, you are to open the doors of “your” church to all the different religious groups that may be represented in this population. “Your” church will become a religious center, if you will. You are not expected to lead all services, but to coordinate the speakers that may be needed. You should be prepared to answer any religious question that the “mayor” or any other “outsider” may have.
Third, you are to maintain “security” in the church and elsewhere. Finally, you are to be the “conscience” of the town. It is expected that you will bring understanding, and promote fairness between the “outsiders” and the residents; it is hoped that you will be the town’s “peacemaker.”
If you accept this “call,” with these conditions (there may be more), you will have accepted the “call” that I accepted five years ago.
My ministry is not like any other. I can do almost everything a local pastor does in his church with regard to ministry activities. And there are some “advantages.”
First, I do not have a governing board. Second, I do not have to be concerned with the offerings and tithes of the members of my church; the “town” provides for all of my needs. Finally, I do not have to be concerned if the members of my church do not like the sermon from last Sunday. There is no other church in town. The “disadvantages” are some of the “conditions.”
This ministry is not like traditional “missions,” either. You are in a missionary field, but an undiscovered one. You will have the opportunity to witness to individuals from all parts of the world. You will be exposed to different religions, and you will use your classes on “contextual theology” a lot. You will not see the real fruits of your labor/ministry, because the members of your church may leave to return to their hometowns far from “middle-of-nowhere.”
I arrived at the Federal Correctional Complex in Victorville, California, on August 1999. I was honored to be the one chosen to “activate” the largest medium security level institution in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP). It houses more than 1,600 male inmates; the average sentence is 12 years (some have life-sentences).
A small Federal Prison Camp (we call it “Satellite”) houses more than 250 female inmates on minimal security. In about four years this will become the largest prison complex in the FBOP across the nation.
We received our first inmates in June 2000. I had three inmates in my first Spanish Protestant Service. Today we have a regular attendance in the high 70s and a weekly Bible study with attendance in the high 30s. On the last Easter Sunday we had our first baptismal service ; 15 new believers were baptized. We celebrate monthly Communion Services, and we are building the Kingdom here in Victorville.
I believe that the greatest “question or issue” a Chaplain in the FBOP must solve is “how to be a slave to everyone,” to meet the needs of those from other religions. I want prove to the inmates that I am fair and consistent with all, that I am a man of integrity, and that I have love for them.
Paul for me shares the deep truths of what I consider to be the prison ministry in 1 Cor. 9:16-23. He says; “I make myself a slave to everyone” (1 Cor. 9:19). When you do ministry, you should give yourself. We should give the best of our abilities, of our knowledge, and of ourselves . . . we know that doing so is not enough. But by giving the best of us, we are offering the best to God.
Furthermore, we give ourselves by understanding that speech is not all that preaching is about. Paul shares a very unique and complicated concept here. He says: “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.” The word in Greek used here is the verb well known “ginomai.” A very common verb with a profound meaning in this passage.
We understand that Paul is not saying to be a Jew, but rather to become like a Jew. Not to be one, but to have a likeness of one. To be able to find “common ground” by which the receiver of your preaching and ministry can find himself in you, can identify with you.
I appreciate how Paul describes this, “I make myself a slave.” Servanthood is the best way to preach and to do ministry. I like to think that by facilitating, supervising, and protecting the religious rights of all inmates I am doing precisely that. I am showing to the inmates that I am a man of God, someone that wants to serve and help them, so that my preaching, ministry, and testimony will be more effective with the sole intention that I “may save some.”
I believe that the greatest “challenge” for a chaplain in the FBOP is to make disciples. Many of the believers that we care for are believers that have not received “sound doctrine.” Most of the time, it is not their fault. They try to serve the Lord in a very difficult environment.
Imagine being a “Christian” in a place where you do not have privacy. You do not choose your roommate, the one who works with you, and who goes to church with you. There might be “non-Christians” trying to convince you that they have the “truth.”
You can deceive no one. You have to learn to be genuine. There is no privacy here. So, everyone knows your failures.
You also try to grow despite limited access to literature, limited access to the fellowship of the “saints,” and limited access to “outside” ministers. Therefore, it is a very difficult “Christian life” and easy to be exposed to the wrong teaching. So I have to learned to be patient, understanding, and loving, helping them to learn, and in most cases, to relearn Christian doctrine.
It is a unique ministry. It is a blessing and honor that the Lord has given me to help the [least] of His brothers (Matthew 25:40).
Let me share some of my prayer requests. First, pray for you! Pray that the Lord will open doors for you to become involved in prison ministry.
I remember Dr. David Rambo calling us to “re-evangelize America.” If you want to see the real struggles of America, visit a prison.
In the FBOP alone, we are growing at an astronomical pace. Since 1970 we have more than doubled our inmate population. If we keep we keep up this growth pattern, our population will triple by 2015. We have to open an average of three new institutions per year in order to keep up with the growth. The sad part is that this is only a reflection of our communities. You need to be a part of these . . .
Pray for ATS and other Alliance college students, that they may discover this “undiscovered field,” that the Lord will send ministers to this field. When I went to ATS, I knew of some students that had no sense of what the Lord wanted for them to do.
Today, the FBOP has a great need for committed chaplains. They are required to be less than 36 years old, have an M. Div. and two years of full-time ministry. Please, pray that those in ministry studies will be sensitive to the Lord’s call and the Kingdom’s needs in this area.
Pray for Rev. Philip Harden (FCI Fort Dix), Rev. Mark Nevius (FCI Tucson) and me (FCC Victorville). We are your representatives in the FBOP. Pray for our wives and children.
Finally, pray for your “brothers and sisters” in churches like the one in FCC Victorville. They need your prayers and our ministry. Pray that the Lord’s light will shine and break thru the darkness that envelops most of our prisons.
Chaplain González is currently the senior chaplain at a large federal prison in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania; in this capacity, he supervises several prison chaplains. He has also served as senior chaplain in a federal prison in Miami, Florida. Continue to pray for his ministry, his family, and his safety.
Reported by Army Chaplain Kevin Pies, written by Joan Phillips
Gunfire. Roadside bombs. Mortar attacks. The soldiers with Alliance Chaplain Kevin Pies, serving in a U.S. Army support battalion in Iraq, have experienced firsthand God’s divine protection.
“The chaplain goes to work with his parishioner,” says Pies. “He’s right there, 24/7, and is able to build relationships easily.” He sees his military position as a safe harbor for his fellow soldiers. “Since I’m not in the chain of command, I have opportunities to counsel, console, and pray with the men and women.”
In the wee hours of the morning, unaffectionately coined “o’dark thirty,” Pies’ unit awaited orders to proceed from Kuwait into Iraq. Wary of entering the enemy’s lair, the troops wanted the assurance of God’s presence and protection. “Everyone I saw that morning allowed me to pray with them,” says Pies. “There was no discussion of separation of church and state.”
The trek into Baghdad did not go without incident. Many tense moments caused Pies and his unit to rely on God’s strength to see them through. “It was a challenge just to cope with the elements,” he adds. Living out of a Humvee for the first four months in 130-degree heat, battling bugs, scorpions, and tarantulas raised the anxiety level of the men and women.
In the midst of hostile fire and mortar attacks, Pies maintained his post: praying with the troops. “God has a captive audience in a desert-bound soldier,” he continues. “Stripped of modern conveniences and communication with the outside world, he or she has time to think about spiritual things and reevaluate relationships with loved ones back home.”
One soldier told Pies, “It took the desert for me to learn what it means to communicate with my wife.”
Throughout his deployment, Pies repeatedly has witnessed God’s protective hand upon the troops. One night in particular stands out. “Three mortar rounds came into the compound,” he says.
The soldiers were sitting under a camouflage-net tent. The first two rounds missed the tent completely, but the third hit the top of the netting. Instead of burning through the net, potentially killing all the soldiers inside, the mortar shrapnel exploded upward and outward. Only a few men were hit, and the injuries were not life threatening.
Chaplain Pies seized the vulnerable moment to confirm God’s providence. “Inserting a word of my own,” he says, “we read together from Psalm 91, ‘His faithfulness will be your shield . . . A thousand [mortars] may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.’”
Subsequently, troops sent to find the source of the attacks soon returned with several Iraqi rebels. Pies reports that one Iraqi, “. . . asked in broken English, ‘Do you Americans have some kind of force field or protective covering. Some special weapons that we don’t know about? Every time we fire, our weapons miss or they don’t do any damage.’”
Evidence of God’s faithfulness was brought to light repeatedly as the support battalion moved throughout Iraq. The biblical towns of Ur, Abraham’s home; Basrah, the modern day Garden of Eden, and Ninevah, near Mosul, came alive to Chaplain Pies, who linked to these sites to God’s presence then and now. As did the priests for the warriors in Deuteronomy, Pies brings God to the soldiers and the soldiers to God in Iraq.
When you go to war . . . the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: “. . . For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you . . . to give you victory.” (Deuteronomy 20:1-4).
Chaplain Pies is currently the U.S. Army Space Command Chaplain stationed at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
By LCDR Val J. Jensen, Commander Submarine Group Ten Chaplain
Recently, I went to sea on one of the 10 Trident submarines, the USS WYOMING, homeported at the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia. This happened to be my 22nd ride on a nuclear submarine—I average approximately one ride a month.
To be able to carry out an effective ministry, it is important that I get to know the crew, but even more important is that the submariners get to know their chaplain. That way when the need arises, they know whom to go to for assistance.
What made this trip unique was the fact that I brought along two guests who are also in full time ministry. Captain C. C. Wiggins, Chaplain Corps, USN, is the Command Chaplain at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, FL; Colonel E. W. Robyn, USA, Retired, is the Field Staff Representative of Officer Christian Fellowship, Savannah, GA.
During our two day evolution, Captain Wiggins and Colonel Robyn toured the submarine, met with the crew, and had the opportunity to talk with Presidential Management Interns, who were also able to see what life was like on a submerged Ohio Class submarine. The Presidential Management Interns Program was established to attract outstanding individuals who have an interest in a career in the analysis and management of public policies and programs. After an outstanding dinner, Chaplain Wiggins delivered a service in the crew’s mess. Time sped by too rapidly and the next day the boat surfaced and was heading home.
We bid each other farewell and would be able to recall a once in a lifetime experience. That Sunday, Chaplain Wiggins gave another service, although this time it was delivered in the beautiful Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay Chapel. Her text was Matthew 28:16-20. The scripture speaks of Jesus stating to his disciples: “. . . lo, I am with with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Soon after this article was written, Chaplain Jensen moved to Camp Pendelton Marine Base in California. From there, he has since deployed twice to Iraq with the Marines. Val and his wife, Kate, will leave their U.S. Navy Chaplaincy Family in 2009 to retire in the southeastern United States. Pray for the Lord to lead them into a new, vibrant ministry.
April 13, 2007
by Police Chaplain Paul Northcut
As I rolled over to answer the ringing phone, I noted the time, 2 a.m. Sitting up on the edge of the bed, I said, “Hello.” On the other end was a police officer from Dover, Arkansas. He was out with a very distressed man who needed someone to talk to and asked if I would speak to the man on the phone.
I went into another room so that my wife could go back to sleep. The man told me he felt like everything in his life was going wrong. Among other things his marriage had fallen apart and he had a 17 year-old daughter doing drugs. He felt helpless.
He told me he was a Christian and which church he belonged to. I tried to be encouraging and a comfort for him. I reminded him of some of God’s promises and then we prayed together. Lastly, I encouraged him to speak with his pastor. It is interesting, and also sad, how many people don’t talk to their pastor about what’s really going on in their lives.
I’m glad that officer knew where to turn to find help for this man. I’m glad the Holy Spirit gave me the words that needed to be said. I’m glad the Lord has called me to be His servant to a hurting world. I’m glad there are people who support us in this ministry so that folks can see the love and grace of the Lord at 2 a.m.
Institutional Chaplain Don Mitchem
God has His own special ways of encouraging each one of us in whatever work He calls us to do. Recently, a call came to my office requesting the visit of a chaplain for a patient on the sixth floor of the Maricopa Medical Center. I was told that the patient was a twenty-six year old woman with leukemia and that she was very depressed. I immediately went to visit her. Upon entering her room I noticed that Doreen (not her real name) had very little of her beautiful brown hair left. She didn't seem very conscious of this, but was very quiet, only responding briefly to the few questions I asked as she looked at me with large sad eyes.
As we talked I learned that Doreen was from a small town about three and a half hour's drive northwest of Phoenix. Her pastor was not able to see her very often because of the distance. She was feeling very lonely and depressed. Doreen stated that she was a Christian. I sought to minister with a counsel of encouragement in the Lord, read Scripture to her, and prayed. I promised to see her again the following day.
The next day as I was about to enter Doreen's room, I met up with her doctor. He said: “Chaplain, I want to request that you continue visiting Doreen as regularly as you can. Following your visit yesterday, all of Doreen's monitory machines showed very positive readings for the first time.” I assured him that I would continue to visit Doreen. As I entered her room, my heart was so full of thanksgiving to the Lord! I'm sure it showed. We had a good visit together.
Two weeks ago, I visited a young man at our Psyche Annex facility. He asked about God and Jesus Christ, and why he should believe in both. Using Scripture, I was able to explain and he said he understood. Then he said, “It seems that what I need to do now is receive Christ as my Savior–right?” Joyfully, I exclaimed, “That's exactly right. Would you like to do it now?” His answer was a definite, “Yes!” I led him in praying the sinner's prayer, gave him a Bible and some discipleship instructions before leaving. The next day, he was discharged. Sometimes, we have so little time to have a ministry with patients–pray that I will take advantage of every opportunity God brings my way.
by Civil Air Patrol Chaplain Franklin Blodgett
I was called by the Alaska Wing Civil Air Patrol Commander, requesting me to visit a CAP Pilot who had been badly injured in a plane crash on the Alaska Peninsula. I immediately responded, however, because of his recent injuries and medication, was only able to share a few verses of Scripture and pray for his recovery.
Three days later, my 21-year-old daughter and I had an opportunity visit this pilot at Providence Hospital in Anchorage. I asked him, “Don, suppose the worst had happened in the plane crash and instead of surviving you had been killed. Do you know for certain that you would have gone to heaven?” Don responding by telling us that just before the crash, he had a peace that he wouldn’t be killed, but he didn’t know for certain about heaven as his future home.
After a brief discussion, I shared with him how to be certain about heaven and how to receive the gift of eternal life. I explained that it simply meant trusting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Then, I said, “Don, the term, “Lord” doesn’t have a whole lot of meaning today. I want to give you an illustration of what I mean. Suppose you are getting ready to fly from Seward to Anchorage and as you are getting the aircraft ready, Jesus comes up to you and asks for a ride to Merrill Field. You recognize that it is Jesus—there is no doubt in your mind. You say, “Sure Jesus, you can ride with me anywhere. Hop in the copilot seat.” And Jesus says, “No Don, I want to be in the pilot seat; I want to fly you through the good weather and the bad, the icing conditions and the non-icing conditions, the down drafts and the updrafts. I want be to the pilot in command of your life. I want to be at the yoke of your life or if you want to put in car terms at the steering wheel of your life.”
That day Don trusted Jesus Christ to be the pilot of his life. I told him, “Don, this is the most important decision you have made.” He said, “I believe you.” When I visited him the next day, the chaplain from Don’s squadron in Steward was in Don’s room. The first thing Chaplain Blair said to me was, “Don has just shared with me the good news!”
A few weeks later, Don called me and asked me to perform a wedding ceremony for him and his fiancée. I visited and talked with both of them and learned that he had shared his decision with her and she was excited. A few days later, it was my pleasure to unite this couple in the bonds of matrimony.
Institutional Chaplain Don Mitchem
Not too long ago I was doing patient visitation in one of our four Intensive Care areas. I intended to check on all of the patients, but I noticed one young woman kept following me with her eyes. When I finally came to her bed she said, “Chaplain, I need to get back on track with God.” She shared that she had been walking away from God for quite some time, and in the process, had gotten extremely depressed over some terrible things that she had allowed in her life.
“Chaplain, I'm suicidal. That's the reason I'm here. I was unsuccessful in taking my own life. The hospital has placed me under a constant watch.” I looked up from the patient, only to see that a woman had taken a seat fairly near the patient's bed and was watching closely. Seeing my red and white badge that reads “Chaplain” she immediately got up and left us totally alone.
This special patient was so very hungry for God's forgiveness and cleansing for the totally sinful wreck she had made of her life. I counseled her that the only way to God for that cleansing and forgiveness was through Jesus Christ. After explaining the Gospel to her, she was anxious to pray the sinner's prayer.
The next time I saw Susan (not her real name) she looked so rested. She was truly basking in the peaceful rest of a soul that had been cleansed and forgiven, and now owned by The Lord. Susan was so grateful to be given a Bible and some discipleship instructions before being discharged from the hospital. I am following her with my prayers. I invite you to pray with me daily for Susan. Satan will surely be nipping at her heals.
Yet another miracle I would share. One of my volunteer chaplains told me this story. “Chaplain Don, a number of years ago, I couldn't speak any English, only Spanish. “I was working at this hospital as a volunteer chaplain just like now. “One day I was given a certain patient to visit. I went to the patient's room, only to find a man who spoke only English.”
“I thought that this patient's name was given to me by mistake. “I prayed, 'Lord, help me.' “The Lord prompted me to speak to the patient. “When I did, I spoke in perfect English! “Oh, Chaplain, the presence of the Lord was so very real! “I was even able to lead the patient to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. “After that, it seemed that I was able to learn English quite easily.”
Ah, “Great and Marvelous are your works, oh, Lord.” God is still in the miracle working business!
by Police Chaplain Paul Northcut
It was a beautiful spring day. I was visiting the folks at City Hall in London, Arkansas, when I received a message on my pager. I was asked to respond to the Flying J Truck Stop and meet with a truck driver who was despondent and talking about suicide. His name was Pete (not his real name), a long distance truck driver from Tennessee. He told me his story.
A few days ago, his wife told him she had enough of his being on the road and she was leaving him. He wasn’t even sure how he got to Russellville. He just started driving and found himself here. In the truck stop, he overheard two people talking. One of them said to the other, “you need to pray.” But Pete thought, “I don’t know how to pray or even who to pray to.” Through an amazing series of events that only God could arrange, Pete found himself sitting at a table with another Christian brother and myself.
For over an hour, we sat together and drank coffee. We let Pete tell his story and listened carefully as he recounted his life. After he finished it was our turn (you have to earn the right to be heard). We shared with him about God’s love and grace and His wonderful plan of salvation. Pete was as “dumb as a rock” when came to the Bible so we started at the beginning. I got a New Testament out of my car and gave it to him. I walked him through the story of Nicodemus in John 3 and down the Romans Road underlining key verses. We wound up at Revelation 3:20 where Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in . . .” I asked Pete if he wanted to open his heart to the Lord Jesus. He said he did.
So sitting there in the truck stop, Pete became a new person in Christ. When we stopped praying, I asked Pete how he felt. “The load is gone, I feel like a new man,” was his answer. The first thing he did was to go looking for someone to tell what had happened to him. What a testimony he gave! It is always exciting to see someone born into the family of God. I shared several more pieces of literature with him and more words of encouragement and instructions before we went our separate ways. We asked him to keep in touch and gave him our phone number and addresses. About a week later, we got word that he was still excited about Jesus. So much so that the man he drove with had refused to have him as his partner. Where is Pete now? Somewhere on the Glory road! Praise the Lord.
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