A Hair Raising Experience

Standing in line at the registrar’s office at our junior college, I contemplated what class to switch with the chemistry class on my schedule. I overloaded my roster with heavy core subjects and my college counselor advised that I switch one out for an easier elective. The girl in front of me had long dark hair, which hung well past her hips. I could not help but compliment her on its beauty. As we chatted, we discovered we were changing classes at the same hour and decided to take a yearbook class.

I went through almost two years at that school and never saw that beautiful young lady again! We both took yearbook class, but we were teamed up with other individuals to work on the layouts we were assigned. My partner was Jane, whom God ordained to lead me to the Lord. At the end of my two years in junior college, I married the man of my dreams; and three weeks later, I was carrying our first son.

We served in a local ministry called the One Way House; but eventually, over the next few years, we moved to several cities around the country. I was riding my bike at full speed down a busy highway in Phoenix, AZ with my long, jet black hair flying out behind me and dancing with the wind. The driver of the car next to me started blaring its horn at me.

I was perplexed and a bit frightened, so I pulled into a busy parking lot in front of a chain of retail stores. To my discomfort, this same car pulled into the parking place next to where I stood beside my bike. The driver opened her door and ran around her car, flinging herself into my arms. You guessed it! This was the same girl who stood in line with me to change our scheduled classes back in junior college.

How she recognized me, I will never know; but I suspect it was the Holy Spirit’s activity. Of course, I invited her to supper that night and we spent hours catching up and playing with my two children. When she left, I gave her a record full of Christian songs. I silently prayed that this divine appointment would not be lost, but would bear fruit in both our lives.

Many years flew past since that last meeting; and no word has exchanged between us since then. However, I often think of the beautiful young lady from Chicago, IL, and wonder why she came to Pensacola, FL and then to Phoenix, AZ at the same microcosm of time and space as I did. I pray for her to this day, hoping that she found the same peace and rest in Jesus Christ that I have enjoyed for over 45 years.

I am posting this on my blog in hopes that by some God-ordained providence, she will read this and reconnect with me. If not, then I pray that we shall meet in Heaven as sisters-in-Christ, once our work for God on this earth is done. – Kathleen Del Gallo (Hill) Bradley

My New Life in Christ

In the late 60’s and early 70’s, I transitioned from high school to college. My jet black hair, cut in a long shag, hung down past my shoulder blades. I wore long flowered dresses and flowers in my hair, as I flirted around the edges of the Hippy movement. I did not participate in the drug or free-love culture, but I was definitely a flower child.

About that same time, I read The Cross and The Switchblade, by David Wilkerson. Through the pages of that book, I found Jesus Christ as my Savior. As a student at the local junior college, I joined the Baptist Student Union and met a fellow Catholic who was also looking for a more intimate relationship with God. We dated and felt led to rent two old homes in downtown Pensacola, FL.

God soon filled them up – one with young women and the other with young men. These young people, on their way to Pensacola Beach, were hitch-hiking, or riding the rails across the country and jumping off just two blocks from these two homes. We dubbed the boy’s house - a beautiful, old, two-story, Southern Colonial home - the One Way House.

We offered the sojourners the solace of three days and nights with clean sheets, three square meals and a shower if they agreed to attend the nightly Bible study. Many of these young people accepted Christ as their Savior. Then, on the final day of their stay, they either traveled on their way or stayed on in the area. 

We helped those who stayed to find a job and affordable housing, and they continued coming to Bible studies every night. Our reputation soon spread, and we had about 150 people meeting every evening of the week with a hunger for God’s Word. Known as the "Jesus People", we and similar groups around the country, called the Church back to its roots. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_movement )

Each day, those who did not have jobs would clean the homes and then help to cook meals for lunch and supper. Those who worked gave their earnings toward the household budget, and we had all things in common, just like in the book of Acts (Acts 2:44, 4:32). On one particular day, one of the men fixed three pancakes each for the eleven people who were at the house during lunch time.

As we sat down, three new travelers came in the front door. Without mentioning a word, two of the men and I agreed through our facial expression to give our pancakes to the newcomers. As the cook placed three pancakes on each person’s plate, all fourteen of us ended up with three pancakes. God multiplied that food and our faith at the same time.

Another afternoon, I went to the freezer to thaw out something for supper that night. The huge chest freezer was totally empty. Several of us joined hands in the kitchen and prayed for God to provide. With the final “Amen”, I opened the freezer and found a huge ham inside, which we cooked with scalloped potatoes, green beans and home-made bread – compliments of our pancake chef.

God continued to bring salvation and miraculous provision to us throughout the years that He anointed the One Way House ministry to function. We made life-long friendships and many of us continue to pray for one another even now. Coming from all walks of life and various states, we all had one major aspect in common – the love of Jesus Christ for each other and for the lost world. What a great way to start my new life in Christ.