Yesterday we celebrated the 21st anniversary of an awful day in the life of our country – September 11th.
Many of you have heard the story of how 911 impacted the ministry of America’s Keswick in a powerful way.
Don Peterson was a Board member and loved the ministry of the Colony of Mercy. Don personally counseled and mentored men who were in the program, and he and his wife, Jean, personally mentored and cared for men after they graduated. He even helped several men get mortgages and gain financial stability.
On September 11th, Don and Jean arrived at the Newark Airport to fly to California for a family reunion. Because they arrived early, they were bumped onto Flight #93.
Now here is the rest of the story. Months after this horrific tragedy, we heard a story that when the rescue workers arrived on the scene, the only two visible things found was a tire and Bible.
Quite selfishly, I was hoping that it was Don’s Bible. Guess what? It was Don’s Bible. It survived that terrible crash and was completely intact. We heard that tucked inside the Bible was a list of names of Colony men that Don and Jean were praying for over the years, but it was never confirmed.
The news NEVER reported the story about the Bible. Several years later, the Flight 93 Commission came to do oral histories about our relationship with the Peterson’s. I shared the Bible story with the examiner, and there was NO reaction at all, which I thought was odd.
At the end of the interview, she closed her notebook and said, “Now here is the rest of the story.” She shared that while the media never covered the Bible story, she knew for a fact it was true. Her husband was the Chief of the Fire Department and was the first person on the scene. He was the one who recovered the Bible.
Several years ago, we connected with Don’s brother. Last year he sent me a letter and inside the letter was a copy of the list of names that were in the Bible!!! Holding that list moved me to tears as I looked at the names of a number of the men who were doing well in answer to Don’s prayers.
Don was a man on a mission who loved the Lord, his family, and a number of ministries like America’s Keswick.
He finished his race with joy! When I think of Don and Jean, I think of this powerful verse from the pen of Dr. Luke referring to the Apostle Paul:
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24KJV)
May that be our story as well.
Undivided: By Christ, in Christ, for Christ,
Bill Welte, President/CEO
America’s Keswick
Email: bwelte@americaskeswick.org
Written by Bill Welte: President/CEO of America’s Keswick: Bill has been married to his childhood sweetheart for 40+ years and has four married kids and 12 amazing grandkids. He loves music and is an avid reader.
