First time I realized it.

I should start this post by reminding you just how old I am. Specifically that I lived during the civil unrest of the late 60s and 70’s. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard people say “They should ship them all back to Africa.”  I still remember thinking, you don’t ship people, and I don’t think it was their idea to be here in the first place. Knowing this let me tell this part of the journey.

When we returned from Uganda, America’s transportation system was shut down. There where record snow storms everywhere. Nashville was no different. I had not returned to Nashville when I was suppose to but ended up going straight to San Diego and attending the NAMM show in Anaheim.  

When I did finally return to Nashville the streets were clear and I had to go straight to work at the Opryland Hotel the next day. I run audio for Corporate events when not with an artist on the road. They were expecting more snow but later than I was expected to work. My tires in the rear were worn down and I knew I needed new ones. Well, as I do most days, I ended up working longer than I should have and there was a pretty good amount of snow on the ground when I was finally able to leave. I was slipping all over the place but since I only had 4 miles and only one big hill I thought I’d try it.

It wasn’t the big hill that got me. It was the traffic and a small one. I had to come to a stop on an incline because of traffic and there was no way to start going forward and up the hill again. I would give my car gas and my car just went sideways, over 3 lanes of traffic onto the shoulder. I came to rest behind a pickup with his blinkers on, and watched the parade of cars and trucks barely miss me as they had the same problem. I also noticed a steady group of cars pulling in behind me. After about 30 minutes of trying to gain enough traction to start moving I gave up and went up to the truck. I thought ‘If I could get him to move maybe I could get enough momentum to get out of this predicament.’ There was no one there. He had abandoned his truck a long time before I had gotten there.

After going back to my car and deciding this was going to me a long night there was a tap on my window. I opened up my door and an older black man with a cane was standing there. He said, “you know, if you’d move your car son, the rest of us could get out of here tonight.” I had become exactly what the truck was to me.

I told him about the truck and said if 3 or 4 cars behind me could move I could back out and get a running start and maybe get out. So we started with the third car behind me (a white guy) and got him moving. Another person (a black man) joined us and we moved a white lady behind him. We then moved the car behind me.  That person (a black gentlemen) said he would be back to help us. It was then my turn. With the two guys pushing I got enough momentum to get up the hill. Before I tried the guy with the cane said. “When you get up to the top of the hill remember to come back and help us with the rest of the cars.” I have to admit, at the top of the hill, knowing I now had everything I needed to get home I thought about driving on. I had given my word so I stopped on the side safely, and got back into the snow.

When I got back to the hill I saw one of the funniest things I have ever seen. 3 black guys trying to push a UPS box truck. It wasn’t going anywhere. I thought, ‘Really??? You guys are NEVER gonna do that without a Roadie.’ I jumped in and together we moved a freaken huge truck. Then we moved about 5 more cars.

About 30 minutes after I had come back we had moved all the cars and with the peacefulness and quiet you can only find in a snowfall, 3 black men and I walked up the hill to our cars.

The old black man with the cane was the first to speak. “Well I guess we should introduce ourselves after working so hard together. My name is Dan and I am a retired Pastor” He said proudly.

“Where’d you Pastor at” said the man to his right? “My name is Bill and I am a Pastor at ______” as he said the name of his church.

The man to my left then laughed and spoke up “Well my name is Pastor Todd.”

They all stopped and looked at me,

“My name is Art. I’m a missionary. I just returned yesterday from Africa”

“Bet you wish you were there now” said Pastor Bill.

“Yes, I really, really do.” I replied thinking. 'God’s been waiting years for this joke about the 3 black pastors and the missionary from Africa in the snowstorm.'

“Figures” added Pastor Todd, “It would be the men of God to pull together and help everyone.”

“More like men of God pushed together” corrected Pastor Todd

As we walked and laughed up the hill to our cars, with the swagger that men often have after a job well done, I thought ‘yeah, you can ship me back to Africa anytime you want.’