August 1973

Numerically a long time since then - and yet only the day before yesterday!
Remembering that my brain still has only recovered to 1978!

It was 45 years ago this week that I met Dutchman.
He was traveling home from the Yukon, having been on a mission trip for the summer.
He made the mistake of going to a church close to the airport.
I  made the mistake of letting my mother's younger brother talk me into coming to his church that Sunday.

I walked in waved to say, "Hi" to my uncle and a female grabbed me!
Whipped me around - and planted a big on me!
Never saw her before and was utterly stunned.
Then the church was filled with the bellow akin to that of an enraged bull!
And I went flying across the width of the church!

I had no idea what hit me!

Later, once the confusion died down, I found out that her boyfriend had seen what she did and the rest was committed to history.
He apologized profusely and said it was only a split second after he hit me that he realized he should have hit the girlfriend ....
Sort of an Irish response it seems.
Hit and think later!
And he was not yet converted to Dutchman As of yet .....
Dutch woman was still in high school in Holland!

So, a lasting friendship was painfully framed.
For 45 years we have stood by one another.
Literally facing death on more than one occasion.
Speaking our mind and hearts in truth to one another.

He is one of the greatest gifts God ever gave me.
Yet at the time, August 19, 1973, I was very much a non-Christian.
Just a very mixed up German from a Colorado high school.
Wondering why I was even here!

As for future Dutchman, he stayed and cared for me for several months.
Yeah, he broke me good!
I thought him good enough that he should have gone into medicine.
But electronics was his calling.
And helping me it seemed.

He changed directions after that fateful day.
He send girlfriend back home - alone.
Entered the electrical engineering program at the University of Washington.
My appointment to the Coast Guard Academy was turned down.
So, I registered to go a computer school in Tacoma.
Got an apartment and got my grandmother released to my custody.
And started a new life.

About to get horribly complicated by my hanging out with some Christian college students!