Les Saunders

When Vicki and I and our kids (Chris & Tim) entered Bethel Presbyterian Church for the first time (circa 1983), Les Saunders was the first to greet us, and with a very warm welcome.

As we chatted after the service, we learned that he was an MK, a missionary kid, whose Presby parents had served in Africa. Vicki and I had met (and were married) in a Presby church in New Orleans (details, perhaps, another time). We asked if he knew the Shepard's – dear friends of ours, whose parents had also been Presby missionaries in Africa. Not only did Les know them, they had been his playmates, and their parents – Walter & Carolyn – were his godparents.

Living life as a Christian is meant to be lived in fellowship with other Christians, and as we discover the stories of our wonderful Chr. 'siblings', we find that the word 'coincidence' seems somehow inapt to describe these neat surprises when we encounter them (note to Cas: 'neat' means gnarly).

When I first met Graham & Savanna Holmberg, within minutes Thane & Stella Thatcher came up – their neighbors, our best friends.

Didn't take a very long conversation before I told Richard Mooney we were once very well acquainted with his parents – Scott & Janet.

But I digress. Back to Les Saunders.

When his family returned to "the States", they settled in Montreat, NC. At that time, Montreat was a 'Mecca' of evangelical (a good word, trust me, more on that another time) Christianity, and a stronghold of Presbyterians. Les's church had a strong youth group, and a great Bible leader for the high schoolers. Les's love for God's Word grew exponentially under his leadership. It wasn't long before the kids all had big, leather-bound Bibles, like their leader. Les could hardly wait for the next meeting to show off the one he had saved to buy. He didn't have enough yet to buy a protective cover, and so he was jealous to protect it until he got that. Most of all, he wanted to show it to the study leader.

The leader, a father of one of the students, was as impressed as Les hoped he'd be. But, horror of horrors, when he took it in his hands, he opened it with such enthusiasm that he broke the spine with soft crack, and showed no remorse for that as he moved from place to place, seeing how this translation rendered important verses, and taking out his pen, he actually WROTE several comments in the margins.

Handing it back, with a knowing twinkle in his eye (or so I imagine), he said, "Les, this is a wonderful Bible, and a manual for life. Use it and wear it out. Among all the things God means it to be, it is our tool for life. Tools are to be used."

You may well imagine how this felt to Les. But can you imagine having such a teacher?

They were probably taught by their parents to call him Mr. Graham, but I think he probably was delighted for them to call him Billy.