for some Great Purpose. The Lords never forsook
me. In my final hour They were with me. The patrol I was with had been
caught by a far superior enemy force. We had dug a trench and fought
them for three days. But we had lost twenty of our number. And of the
thirty of us that were left, I was the only man unwounded.
41 We were out of food, out of water, and had virtually no powder or
shot left. Under cover of darkness I crawled out, collected all the
enemy's powder and shot I could, then told my companions 'Use the cover
of darkness. Flee. As long as I can I will hold the enemy here.'
42 They resisted, saying of any of them, I had the best chance to live.
But finally they obeyed my wisdom, and I watched them disappear into
the darkness, helping each-other along. Loading every gun I had, I put
them along the trench and waited for light, and when it came, I kept
the enemy at bay, moving from gun to gun, making them think we were
still in the trench, praying to The Lords for one more hour.
43 It was not until almost nightfall before they charged. When I fired
my last round and they were close, I fixed my bayonet and went out to
meet them. I fell two and wounded several before they fell me. But I
was never afraid, for I knew The Lords were there, and would carry me
home.
44 The enemy was so amazed at my courage that I, alone, held them for
all those hours, that when they buried their dead in our trench, they
laid me with them, for they had to honor such courage. The bodies of
the rest of our dead they did not find, for we had hidden them, knowing
the enemy's usual practice.
45 You see, my son, The Lords did not forsake me. I chose to stay
behind, I CHOSE to give the others