Billy is 88 years old and was enjoying the company of Leonard and Johnny for lunch at the senior center. His dad came to Alaska from the country of Holland when Billy was 20 years old. His dad staked a gold claim and Billy and his four brothers worked that million dollar claim until the brothers rebelled for lack of compensation.
Leonard is 83 years old and moved from Montana to Alaska 54 years ago to escape the traditional lifestyle…for adventure. He is a very alert, politically active young man who is currently petitioning to get the smokers to move 50 feet away from the entry of the senior center.
Johnny is some number of years old and is native to the general area. He sat at the computer with a Bluetooth in his ear waiting for lunch to be served. I was in his seat. He, of the three gentlemen, was the most warm and welcoming responder to my invasion of their space.
I never expected that I would find two blue-eyed veterans of Nome sitting alongside the Native. Billy and Leonard said they had no need for Jesus. Some people do, they said, and that’s just fine. But they just don’t need him. They expect someday they might but for now they’re just fine without him.
Every ounce of defense to this type of comment failed me when faced with these two very opinionated non-native elders. Eternity flashed through my mind but I expected that telling them the pits of Hell are quite a bit warmer than Nome would be seen as a welcome change. I asked a few folks here at the church how they would have responded and they all got just as stuck as I did. They reminded me that God has to be the one to open their hearts. While I know that is true, I also feel like it’s a cop out. I don’t want to feel better about being unable to respond…I want to know what to say so I can go back there and tell them why they should care.
Leonard is 83 years old and moved from Montana to Alaska 54 years ago to escape the traditional lifestyle…for adventure. He is a very alert, politically active young man who is currently petitioning to get the smokers to move 50 feet away from the entry of the senior center.
Johnny is some number of years old and is native to the general area. He sat at the computer with a Bluetooth in his ear waiting for lunch to be served. I was in his seat. He, of the three gentlemen, was the most warm and welcoming responder to my invasion of their space.
I never expected that I would find two blue-eyed veterans of Nome sitting alongside the Native. Billy and Leonard said they had no need for Jesus. Some people do, they said, and that’s just fine. But they just don’t need him. They expect someday they might but for now they’re just fine without him.
Every ounce of defense to this type of comment failed me when faced with these two very opinionated non-native elders. Eternity flashed through my mind but I expected that telling them the pits of Hell are quite a bit warmer than Nome would be seen as a welcome change. I asked a few folks here at the church how they would have responded and they all got just as stuck as I did. They reminded me that God has to be the one to open their hearts. While I know that is true, I also feel like it’s a cop out. I don’t want to feel better about being unable to respond…I want to know what to say so I can go back there and tell them why they should care.
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