FRIENDS

One upon a time in a distant land where a queen lived in a big castle and a game called "cricket" was played on plush greens throughout the summer months, a recent high school graduate stepped off a train in a small town south of the capital city to begin preparations for his life's work of serving seekers and building believers.

It was September 6th 1968 as I began to unpack my belongings in the dormitory to which I had been assigned at Kenley Bible College. As has always been my pattern, I was there early and so waited to see who would occupy the other six beds around the room.

Within hours every place was taken by aspiring preachers from all over the country and we embarked upon our adventures in theology together.

The bed alongside mine was claimed by a bank teller from Essex who had turned in his career opportunities with one of the top national finance institutions to follow the call he felt to share the gospel. He was a couple of years older than me, skinny, with Buddy Holly glasses and a large nose... and we became friends.

In a couple of hours I will be going to JFK to meet him and his wife as they come to spend a few days with us. Thirty eight years on we are still friends and Peter and Irene Butt are always welcome guests in our home.

Bible School behind us, we both started out pastoring church back in 1970 and here in 2006 we're still enjoying every minute of it ... and glad to be friends! They say if you have a handful of real friends you're doing well.

I'm doing well!