Les’ Story
“Some people believe that a “Christian Experience” is something instant. It can indeed be. However for most people, I believe it is a gradual experience, often over an extended period of time.
With this in mind I offer the following sequence of events that has added to my faith, insofar as I have been informed of the fruit of the seeds first sown in the mid 1990’s.
The story is “Freddie and his Mom”. I was directly involved in Boys Brigade for over 59 years mostly in the Birmingham area. About 3 to 4 years before we left Birmingham to move to the far North of Scotland I was running the Anchor Boys and Junior Sections for the 8th Birmingham Company and the following started to evolve.
A mother brought her rising 5 year old son to the church hall to ask about his joining the Anchor Section, because many of his friends were already in the section. She explained that they were not church people and were not sure that it was in her son’s best interest, as she had no intention of going to church. Well Freddie loved B.B. and over the years progressed through the Anchor, Junior, Company and Senior Sections of the Brigade being finally awarded his President’s Badge and Queen’s Badge. At the age of about 18 years old he took a year out and went to Africa with “Youth for Christ” and upon his return became a Staff Sergeant and later an Officer in the Company. He now runs the Anchor Section and the present Captain who keeps in touch with me believes that he is destined to progress further in the Brigade.
At the very first meeting, his mother asked if she could stay and see what happened, as she was so unsure about church. This went on for 2 – 3 weeks during which I gradually involved her in the games and classes. The family started to come to church for the family / parade service as the boys were often involved. After we left for Scotland I was informed that she was involved in the coffee rota after the services. I believe that she started to attend prayer meetings in the week and her house became one of the venues. Freddie and his family are still involved to this day 20 years later.
I have always believed that “God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform”; small steps at the beginning, that then gather and become giant steps in life’s rich pattern.”