Christian Article Bank

BREAD UPON THE WATERS

by
Josprel

*Name changed

His name was *Dwain and he was twenty-six years old. As an infant, he lost his soldier father on a battlefield. Everyone who knew his Oriental mother, praised her as a wonderful person and Christian. She had done her best to instill these qualities in her son. In most respects, she succeeded. Sadly, in his early teens, she also died. Then he had no one but himself.

After completing high school, Dwain joined the army. At first, he did well as a communications specialist, but the drug culture ensnared him. His habit reached a point where he was hospitalized and, because of the severity of his habit, an army medical center attempted a cure; it failed. Transferred to a veteran's hospital, Dwain subsequently received a medical discharge.

A barroom brawl was instrumental to our introduction. I learned later such fights were routine for him. This time, however, after he was bounced from the bar, he ran into a member of our church from our church who invited him to a service. On that first visit the compelling warmth displayed by our congregation captivated him. And that's when my wife, Maria, and I met him.

We learned that Dwain had no home, no place to sleep and no real friends. Rudderless and without purpose, he just drifted with the current. When we invited him to spend the night at our home, he hesitated, but then agreed; and he remained with us for some three months. Neat, clean and considerate, he helped with the chores whenever he could. He never hesitated to join our devotions, and attended our services regularly, eventually making a commitment to Christ. He studied the Bible and was a consummate questioner. Baptism especially intrigued him. He inquired into it, but felt unready to go deeper.

During his time with us, he remained drug-free and we rejoiced. Then, one night, Marie awakened from a sound sleep, sensing something was wrong. She went downstairs where she found Dwain on a couch fast asleep. A burner on our electric kitchen stove was on high heat. On it, the bottom of a cooking pot was near its melting point. Marie turned off the burner, carefully cooled the pot, and returned to bed without disturbing him.

When we told Dwain of the incident the next morning, he showed a deep remorse. All he could recall was having attended a party with some old acquaintances who had offered him drugs which he accepted; after that, everything was a blank. He wanted to serve the Lord, he said, but couldn't kick his habit without help. He thought of attending Teen Challenge, doubting he would be accepted because of his age. Our church supported Teen Challenge and I was an advising pastor for our local center. However, I thought it best for him to apply to a center other than ours. I made inquiries, and the compassionate staff of the Teen Challenge center in another city accepted Dwain.

They had ministered to him for three weeks when I received a call from them informing me that he left, complaining about the rules. We never saw Dwain again. Inquiries were made, without success. Heartsick, we finally committed him to the Lord.

Shortly thereafter, we left that city for a new pastorate. Four years passed during which we often wondered what became of Dwain. One day, the phone rang and, there he was, on the other end - hundreds of miles away! He said that he still felt the love our church demonstrated towards him. He had tried to contact us, and learned we had moved. Repeated attempts to trace us had been fruitless. Then, he met someone who knew us; he received our phone number and called us.

After leaving Teen Challenge, he said, he felt he that he failed us and, for several months he just drifted. Realizing he had to come to terms with the Lord, he eventually admitted himself to a veteran's hospital drug program, started attending church, and re-dedicated himself to Christ.

How victorious Dwain sounded! The hospital had released him more than two years before, although he still was an outpatient. He now worked full-time as a civilian communications specialist. He said he had found a home church like ours where he met a born-again young woman. They both were serving the Lord, faithfully attending services, and were planning to wed.

Our eyes were moist when Marie and I hung up the phone. We had just received confirmation that what that wise preacher wrote in Ecclesiastes 11:1 is true. When we cast our bread upon the waters, we do find it after many days - often multiplied many fold!

-30-

© Josprel (Joseph Perrello)
josprel@verizon.net

About the Author:

Josprel resides in Western New York - just across the Niagara River from Canada. Josprel was among the first Air Force troops to enter Japan . He served three years in the Air Force, two and one half years on overseas duty, as a sergeant of operating engineers. Upon separation from service, he studied theology under the G. I. Bill of Rights and holds a Master of Theology degree. A prolific writer, many of Josprel's stories and articles have appeared in print and on the Internet. He is the author of two novels in progress, "Beloved Apostate" and "Kanfal."