The day was Saturday, April 20; one of the first articles to grab our attention when we opened our Free Press that morning was Otis Gardner sharing his thoughts with us and the world on the evil of “The Boston Bombings.”
That bombing took place on Monday, April 15. On Wednesday of that week in Kinston — while police in Boston were still looking for the younger brother — a group of eight old men, all over 80 years old and known as “The 8/80’s Wounded Warrior Team” met with a number of their friends at 6 a.m. at the Westminster United Methodist Church for a sharing of faith at the weekly men’s interdenominational prayer breakfast.
The 8/80’s are an assortment of men of different sizes, different shapes, different colors and denominations. All have served in the military during wartime; two are Marines, three served during World War II, five during Korea. One was an 82nd Airborne paratrooper, one flew with the Air Force as a bombardier over Guam and Japan.
Guy Skinner, our 95-year-old pilot who is still flying and believed to be the oldest active pilot in North Carolina, served in the Army prior to Pearl Harbor in December of 1941 and then served with General Patton in Italy, France and Germany until the second World War ended.
The other three men are best described as “Army Strong” who served during Korea.
While the 8/80’s are of different denominations, they share a common belief in the God that created them and a belief that their God has not left them here just to take up space while they wait to die. These men all believe God would like them to do something for someone; the “something” these men have elected to do in the time they have left is create jobs and minister to Wounded Warriors.
On Wednesday, May 1, our morning prayer group met again and high on the prayer list were the people of Boston. Many of the 8/80’s have friends and relatives in the Boston area and one of us has a niece who is a nurse who works at the hospital where the wounded were taken. That’s also where many of the amputations were performed.
We extend our deepest sympathies to those whose loved ones were so cruelly taken from them.
Let’s take a moment to try and answer the question Otis asked in his article — “Did God create us or did we create God?” If you ask an opinion of men over 80 who have fought in two wars and now have a running conversation with God on a daily basis, the answer is a very positive “God created us.”
We believe we have been created by God in the image of God for life and fellowship with God, and know our fellowship with God doesn’t start when we die and go to heaven; that fellowship is here and now.
In our ministry to wounded warriors, there are dozens who have reminded us that God still answers prayers and still performs miracles. The standard answer from both men and women who have returned from duty overseas is, “If God didn’t answer prayers and perform miracles, I wouldn’t be here.”
One last thought for Otis — you are not a carbon speck; you are a living, loving human being who was created by God. We would welcome you coming to breakfast on a Wednesday morning. In the meantime, we’re putting you on the prayer list and praying that someone will introduce you to God.
Fred Hunneke is a co-founder of the 8/80s. You can reach him by writing in care of this newspaper. The opinions of the guest columnist are not necessarily those of The Free Press.