An incredible story

[MileMarkerZero]

I was playing at a church this morning, and they were giving the sacrement of infant and child baptism. I knew who the family was by the fact that the names in the order of service were foreign, and this family was the only black family in this white, suburban Methodist church. Then the pastor gave a little background:

The father is originally from Sudan. In about 2001 or 2002, he was snatched off of the street and trundled into the back of a military truck. When the truck stopped, the prisoners were taken off one by one and shot. Their crime was apostasy. This gentleman was fortunate that he was seated where he was in the back of the truck, because he was able to escape under the canvas side and run into the bushes. Apparently, the executioners didn't have an accurate head count. He escaped and found his way to some United Methodist missonaries who sneaked him out of the country and to the US. He has since earned his citizenship, married, and has had 3 kids.

Seeing that family all together with the yougest two receiving the baptismal sacrements was an unbelievably powerful moment, because by all rights it wasn't supposed to happen. That man was selected to die those years ago before he had a chance to marry and have kids. And I have never seen a more genuine grin of happiness in my life than the one I saw on that father's face.

It reminded me once again how fortunate those of us that live in free nations and free societies are, and how much there is yet to be done in the world regarding human rights and dignities.