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Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

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After f<strong>in</strong>ish<strong>in</strong>g my work, I drove home. Immediately, Jack, aroomer who lived with Ron’s family, came runn<strong>in</strong>g across <strong>the</strong>road, call<strong>in</strong>g, “Mr. <strong>Burt</strong>! Mr. <strong>Burt</strong>!”I noticed a police car outside <strong>the</strong>ir house. “What’s <strong>the</strong> matter? Iasked.“It’s Diane,” Jack said. “Ron and his wife have gone up to see hermo<strong>the</strong>r, and <strong>the</strong>y left <strong>the</strong> children with me. Diane went down to<strong>the</strong> bottom of <strong>the</strong> road. She got a jam jar with water and wasgo<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> reservoir to collect tadpoles. While she was cross<strong>in</strong>g<strong>the</strong> road, a big double-decker bus hit her. She is dead!”It was an awful accident. The child had been caught between <strong>the</strong>wheel and <strong>the</strong> mudguard and her little body had been broken<strong>in</strong>to pieces. The doctor retrieved her leg from <strong>the</strong> side of <strong>the</strong>road, and <strong>the</strong>y had to jack <strong>the</strong> bus up to get Diane’s dismemberedbody out. The bus driver was taken to <strong>the</strong> hospital <strong>in</strong> shock.I drove Jack to tell Diane’s parents who broke at <strong>the</strong> news of<strong>the</strong>ir child’s death. We forgot all our differences as I put my armsaround <strong>the</strong>m, and we mourned toge<strong>the</strong>r.The whole <strong>in</strong>cident needn’t have happened. The children weresupposed to go to school that day, but after Ron and his wife leftfor <strong>the</strong> day, Jack hadn’t bo<strong>the</strong>red to send <strong>the</strong>m. It was tragic.They were broken-hearted, and I did all I could to love and help<strong>the</strong>m through <strong>the</strong>ir grief. Shortly after that <strong>the</strong>y moved away andwe lost contact with <strong>the</strong>m.“My sheep hear my voice.” (John 10:27)In 1958, God spoke to me and told me for <strong>the</strong> first time to “walk<strong>the</strong> land” with <strong>the</strong> Gospel. At about this same time, <strong>the</strong> meet<strong>in</strong>gsbegan to lose <strong>the</strong>ir vitality. I used to wonder where spiritual decaywas born and now I know — ripeness occurs at a moment <strong>in</strong>time, and rottenness follows afterward. When fruit is thoroughlyripe, it leaves <strong>the</strong> tree, that moment of separation mean<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>end of sap, <strong>the</strong> end of life. Now <strong>the</strong> rosy apple is ready for <strong>the</strong>purpose that God <strong>in</strong>tended.In <strong>the</strong> process of be<strong>in</strong>g consumed, it loses its identity, go<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to<strong>the</strong> body where it refreshes, streng<strong>the</strong>ns, and becomes part of<strong>the</strong> body. This is what Jesus meant when He said we would br<strong>in</strong>g104

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