The Unforgotten
In a small town in Nebraska on a bright Saturday morning, the outreach team at First Pentecostal Church of Whiteclay met as they do every second Saturday of the month. They discuss their progress and options for new ideas and opportunities. On this morning the group of men and women were going to share personal experiences and burdens each person had for outreach. Each person would give at least one input to help with new ideas to excel their ministry. The meeting started with heart-touching experiences and great ideas. Midway down the table Kurt, who is the chairman of the church. He was a devout Christian who loves God and loves His word. He has always had a strong burden for lost souls. He has won many souls but that is never enough for him; he only goes out for more. His favorite verse is Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” He feels everyone should live by this scripture and he is going to try to explain why in his experience he is about to share. This story is a time in his life that he can never forget. This is something he will always look back on when he has doubts; it always cheers him up. As he begins telling his story he looks down to see his wife, Jan, smiling up at him because she know just what he is about to say.
Everyday after she got out of school, a young girl walked down to the park 4 blocks from her apartment where she always sat and read her Bible. After she is finished reading, she would put in her book-bag and watch everything around her in awe. The birds that sing, the trees that blow, the happy people who walk, the family picnics, she loved it all. She loved to just sit and watch the fun and laughter of others. Sometimes she imagined herself in someone else’s shoes; in a whole different life. Though she never dreamed for long for the alarm on her watch, she knew she had to be home before her parents got there at four thirty.
She went to the park to read her Bible because she wasn’t allowed to at home. Her parents did not believe in God; although, they both grew up in the same church she visited one time in the same town of Whiteclay. She went to the park to make sure she would not be seen by them and always kept it in her book-bag. This was they will think it was just a book or homework of some kind. She loved reading the Word of God so much; it was her favorite thing to do. And she knows that in Psalms 119:11 the Bible says, “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” She didn’t like being deceitful to her parents but something told her everything would all turn out good in the end because of what Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that comes to God must believe he is and that He is a rewarded of them that diligently seek Him.”
Once she got home she goes to her room and began to work on her homework. After she finished she read books until it was supper time. She was able to read books by Christian authors because her parents never read; they watched television all night until it was time to go to bed. Her parents did not pay much attention to her reading books until supper. They all ate in front of the television and watched a movie. Most of the time the movies were not what she thought a Christian should watch; but, she had to watch it. Sometimes she fell asleep after she finished eating. Then her mom would wake her up and make her go to bed.
She has done this everyday until she was twelve. That is the first time she went to church. She and her parents moved into her dad’s parent’s house for about six months until they could find a new house to live in. While staying with her grandparents, they made them all go to church with them every time they went. She had always heard about church, and God and of course heard about it from her family, but never actually been to a real church. Once she started going to church she loved it very much! Even her Sunday school teacher gave her a Bible to keep and she loved it. She knew her dad did not like it but because she knew he would not say anything until they moved out, she kept reading it day in and day out.
Once they moved out and into their own home, he took the Bible away from her and she was unable to read any longer. She did not know why, but she did like the feeling anymore of not having a Bible. Then in August when she started school, she found a friend who talked to her and gave her one of her Bibles. From then until she was seventeen or eighteen, she went to the park after school to continue reading her Bible. And she felt like she was whole again.
One day she was going to sit on the bench where she normally sat everyday, but today she walked to it and it was taken by a guy from her class. So she planned to walk by it to get the other bench; although, the guy called out her name and told her:
“You can still sit here, I won’t be here for long”
So as awkward as she felt, to be nice, she kindly walked over on the other side of him and graciously sat down. She did not really know what to do at first, but she went about her daily routine and got out her Bible and started reading. After a while the guy looked over and politely interrupted her:
“I hate to seem like I’ve been constantly watching you but in a way I have been. I see you every day, when I walk past here, reading and I can’t help notice what you are reading. Do you go to church anywhere?”
“No, I went about five years ago but I haven’t been back since”
“Did you like it? Would you like to go back”
“I loved it, but I’m not sure I want to go back?”
“Why not?”
“Well, it’s a little complicated. I’d rather not go into it.”
“Ok, that is perfectly fine. No pressure. But would it be ok if I come back tomorrow and we talk. Just about what kind of things you believe and what you like to read in the Bible so much. You seem pretty interested.”
“I am very interested; I feel like this is what completes me. I think I would like to talk about it tomorrow.”
“Ok, well I will let you get to you’re reading today. We can just meet here tomorrow after school right?”
With a big smile on her face, she gladly agreed and he calmly walked down the side walk and out of the park. She was very excited for a long while; she never got to read that day other than what she had before he started talking to her. When she got home, she started doing her homework and was still sidetracked by what had happened earlier but she managed to get through it. She just couldn’t imagine someone, her age, caring enough to talk to her about church. The whole situation blew her mind. She would have someone to talk to about what she read, get questions answered, had a friend who possible even understood! She couldn’t manage to read her books like she usually does. She only sat in her room still in amazement. When supper came around, she ate like normal in front of the television and appeared to be watching it, but never heard a word. She was so excited about the next day she could hardly even go to sleep that night.
When the next day rolled around she could hardly wait to get to the park. She almost ran to there after school let out. When she got there he was already waiting on her. It seemed as if he were just as exited as she was. They staid and talked the entire time, until her watch went off. She could not believe how long they kept conversation going. On their way out of the park they planned to do that everyday after school. They both enjoyed it so much! They would read together and then discuss it. They did this for about three weeks. They kept talking and talking until they became really good friends; they began to get to know each other a little better. He started talking about his family and his church more. He wanted her to meet them but he wasn’t sure if she would want to. Finally, one day after thinking about it really hard, he comes out and asked:
“I know you said before you weren’t sure if you would want to go back to church, but you love it so much. I don’t understand but I’m not asking for an explanation. I guess I’m asking would like to meet my family?”
At first she was really shocked; it was like her whole world stopped. She knew her parents would not go for anything to deal with the church, but maybe his family. They won’t know who it is so they won’t know they are Christian. A few seconds later after quickly thinking things through she replies with a smile:
“I like that idea. I’m going to have to say, yes.”
“Great! How does Friday for supper sound?”
“That will wonderful”
They both laughed and talked the remaining time they had left until her watch went off. Then they departed and when home; both with big smiles full of joy.
That night, she went home and did her homework and then after the movie she mentioned she wanted to go to a friend’s house for supper Friday. They surprisingly agreed quickly with no questions asked. They knew she would not be any trouble, she was a good kid.
So they meet the rest of the week and they were both very anxious about Friday. When the day finally came, they met and had a great time. His parents were exceptive of her; they all laughed and joked the night away until it was time for her to be home.
This became a habit after a while; she began eating with them on Fridays. They became such great friends and they were both truly happy. They were together not only Monday through Friday after school but everyday before long. When they went to the park now they drift off into other conversations rather than reading as they started. She stays up some time after her parents have gone to bed, and starts reading once they are asleep.
One Saturday while they were talking together, he stopped and looked at her. He had been thinking all day long. He wanted to take the next step with her. He wanted her to come to church with him. This time when he asked, she didn’t hesitate; she agreed. She didn’t know how she was going to get away with it; how she would get it passed her parents, but she wanted to go.
Nevertheless, she found a way to go with him more than just a couple of times. Her parents knew she was with a guy by this time, but knowing his parents were with them all of the time put them at ease. What they did not know about the days they went to the park. They would not be happy about that; although, there was no way they would ever know. Or at least that is what she hoped.
One day after school, she was in such a big hurry to get to the park, she forgot to set her watch at school. When she realized her watch had not gone off, it was almost five. She knew she was in big trouble. She left as quickly as possible without looking as afraid as she really was. When she arrived her parents were there waiting on her infuriated; it wasn't like her to not be there when they got home. Her heart raced for reason why she could have been late, but she could not make herself lie. She told them that she has been going to the park after school for many, many years; it had been almost six years now. She did not explain what she had been doing there, but they soon found out they began going through her things in distrust. Even more furious after finding her Bible, they stopped her from going to the park or doing anything other than going to school and got rid of her Bible. She had gone behind their backs for almost six years; they were not pleased with her at all.
The two were both overwhelmingly upset. As they walked to school the next morning, she had to explain her entire story to him way back to when she was twelve. He understood now why she was hesitant at first, but he could not understand why she did not just tell him what the problem was. He did not know her parents didn’t know or that they would disapprove. He would have done differently if he would have known. He hoped her parents were not mad at him, or thought he had done any harm to their daughter. He also worried about her; he did not know the lifestyle she lived in and did not want her to get hurt. Although, thankfully, her parents were not as he suspected. They were only angered they she went behind their back and against their beliefs.
After a few weeks of her parents watching her close, she and her parent come up with an agreement. They realized that after six years, there really was no way to stop her from what she believes now. Once she goes off to college she will do whatever she believes anyways. And the two only had about a month left in school; they were together most of the second semester. Her parents did not support her in her decisions, although they allowed her to continue her life and became a member of First Pentecostal Church of Whiteclay with him. Even during college they were both inseparable. At the end of their second year, he proposed to her. About year later after their decision, her parents joined the church as well and her parents and his become good friends. A year and half later his proposal, Kurt and Jan got married and lived happily ever after.
