His conviction is painted on the back of his lorry

A drives lives for his pay and his faith

We know neither his name nor his background.  But everyone who drives behind him, can read about his belief.

“Gracias Dios Mio” – this phrase means: “I thank you my God!”

“Cristo viene” – is a sentence from the Christian creeds: “Christ will return!“

“Prepárate!” –  this word can be both a piece of advice or a warning: “Therefore prepare yourself!”

“La historia continua” – “The story continues!”

And because this is the case we all should take God seriously.  Sooner or later every one of us will have to give an account of his/her life before the highest judge of the universe.  For every word and every deed.  Can a short sermon on the back of a lorry wake up the reader?

My thoughts go back to Al Campsen…

12th August 2012: we had brought our son to a US high-school after which my wife and I spent six days driving through the southwest of the country.  Sunday morning in the city of Kayenta we see a small church building on the right-hand side of the road and three minutes later we are sitting on comfy chairs and are concentrating on the sermon.

The service is over and at the church door we get talking to the preacher, who by the way is called Al Campsen.  Al tells us how he came to believe in God many years ago.

“I was working for a haulage company and drove all over the USA.  Officially I was only allowed to sit behind the wheel for ten hours at a time, but I tricked my log book.  In order to stay awake I swallowed stimulant tablets.  As a long-distance truck driver I lived a wild life: 2 broken marriages and a cupboard full of alcohol at home was the result.

One day I was spontaneously given a different lorry than usual.  That evening I crawled into the sleeping cabin and put my hand under the pillow hoping to find a magazine or two.  Instead I found three books; one of them was about Jesus and I hurled it into the nearest corner.  The second book did not interest me either.  I opened the third book with a bizarre title and my eyes fell on the sentence: “one day every human will have to give an account of his life before God!”

That sentence hit me for six and I started thinking.  Will I also have to give an account for everything I have done to God?  I began to feel incredibly sick.  If God really examined my life, there would be absolutely nothing to smile about.  Suddenly I was completely desperate.  I knelt down on the bed and stammered: “God save me, God save me!”  and felt an amazing, indescribable peace come over me.  I could hardly believe what was happening to me.

When I arrived home I knew that I simply could not write down false times in my log book anymore.  Something within me had changed.  I tore open the cupboard and threw out all the beer and spirit bottles.  My wife could hardly believe her eyes.  “I am now a Christian,” I told her.  “Can you forgive me all the things I have done to you?”

“No,” she screamed at me.  “So many times you have treated me so badly that I can never forgive you!”

Al Campsen continued his story with glowing eyes: “Five days later my wife also decided to lay her life in God’s hands!””

That was 30 (39) years ago. Since that dramatic change in his life, Al and his wife have been working as missionaries to four Indian Tribes in Arizona.  He is now 70 years old (79, if he is still alive), but his sermon back then conveyed the enthusiasm of a convinced Christian.

When Tina and I were heading back to our rented car, we called out “Al, will you tell us more about yourself in heaven?” Al nodded “Definitely, I’d love to!”

N.B: 330,000 Navajo Indians live in a reserve the size of West Virginia, many of them have no employment and many of them are alcoholics. – Since that meeting 9 years have passed. /KDJ

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