Alfred was in a nursing...
Illustration
Alfred was in a nursing home when the pastor first met him. At first Alfred didn't say
much, but after a few visits he opened up and began to tell tales of his youth which sent
shivers down the pastor's spine.
As a young boy, Alfred was "sold off," as he put it -- let out for hire by his poor parents. He worked hard for local farmers and villagers, who in turn paid his parents a small fee. When Alfred was old enough, he ran away from home and made his way to London where he worked on the docks. When he accumulated enough money, he bought passage to America. Shortly before he was to sail, the ship on which he booked passage burnt, and Alfred lost all his money.
He started over. Eventually, he earned enough for the trip and he found himself a stranger in New York. His experience on the London docks served him well and he soon landed a job. What he wanted was a place of his own -- a farm. By then, Alfred had fallen in love, so he worked not only for a farm, but for a ring to give to his new love. But this affair of the heart was not to be. When Alfred came to ask the young woman's father for her hand in marriage, her father, a huge man, beat him within an inch of his life. Alfred crawled away, and eventually went west alone.
He purchased a homestead and began his new life. Drought, prairie fires, hail, and grasshoppers continually destroyed his crops. When World War I came, Alfred enlisted. He left his farm in the hands of his neighbor, and went to fight. Alfred was wounded, then captured. He spent several hard years in a POW camp.
As Alfred's story poured out, the pastor could only say, "Alfred, you have suffered so much." Alfred responded, "Yes, but with each disaster, God made me stronger to face the next. If I hadn't suffered so much, I probably wouldn't have survived the POW camp." In his own way, Alfred was made "perfect" through his suffering.
As a young boy, Alfred was "sold off," as he put it -- let out for hire by his poor parents. He worked hard for local farmers and villagers, who in turn paid his parents a small fee. When Alfred was old enough, he ran away from home and made his way to London where he worked on the docks. When he accumulated enough money, he bought passage to America. Shortly before he was to sail, the ship on which he booked passage burnt, and Alfred lost all his money.
He started over. Eventually, he earned enough for the trip and he found himself a stranger in New York. His experience on the London docks served him well and he soon landed a job. What he wanted was a place of his own -- a farm. By then, Alfred had fallen in love, so he worked not only for a farm, but for a ring to give to his new love. But this affair of the heart was not to be. When Alfred came to ask the young woman's father for her hand in marriage, her father, a huge man, beat him within an inch of his life. Alfred crawled away, and eventually went west alone.
He purchased a homestead and began his new life. Drought, prairie fires, hail, and grasshoppers continually destroyed his crops. When World War I came, Alfred enlisted. He left his farm in the hands of his neighbor, and went to fight. Alfred was wounded, then captured. He spent several hard years in a POW camp.
As Alfred's story poured out, the pastor could only say, "Alfred, you have suffered so much." Alfred responded, "Yes, but with each disaster, God made me stronger to face the next. If I hadn't suffered so much, I probably wouldn't have survived the POW camp." In his own way, Alfred was made "perfect" through his suffering.
