David Kline is an Amish farmer and gifted writer. In the sixties he was drafted
and forced to move to Cleveland to work in a hospital since he was a
conscientious objector. Born and raised in the quiet countryside of Holmes
County, Ohio, the largest Amish settlement in the world, life in the city was a
difficult adjustment.
“I moved to Cleveland in late November, and when I was returning after spending
the Christmas holiday at home, the Greyhound bus got caught in one of the early
winter snowstorms northeastern Ohio is famous for. Arriving three hours late, in
the early morning hours, the city was at a standstill. The city buses, my usual
mode of travel to my apartment eight miles out in the suburb (for thirty-five
cents), had quit for the night, and there were no taxis running. The city was
asleep.
Since I did not have enough money for a hotel room and sleeping in the bus
station wasn’t an option, I walked into the howling fury of the storm. Almost
immediately car lights came out of the swirling snow and stopped by the curb;
the driver reached over and opened the passenger door.
“Do you need help, or a ride?” a voice asked.
“Indeed I do, but I have almost no money,” I said,
After the driver said it was no problem, I got in the car, and we headed, alone
on the wide streets, for my new home. The driver, an African American with some
gray in his hair said he had woken at 1:00 A.M. and hearing the storm outside
could not go back to sleep. He thought someone might be in need of help, so he
got in his car and drove to the bus station.
Finally, after numerous U-turns on the slippery roads, we reached the street
where I lived. He did not want to take many money for the ride, but I insisted
and gave him all I had. As I watched the tail lights of his car fade into the
storm, my eyes welled with tears of gratitude for this angel of mercy.
That man forever changed my view of the city. I realized that love can live in
the human heart anywhere.”
From about 1991 to 1996 we lived in rural Ohio. Today our home is in a suburb of
a great city. But if you keep your heart open to it, no matter where you live,
you will see that love can live in the human heart anywhere.
Ken Pierpont, Riverview, Michigan
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.