GUNGA DIN

WITNESS

8-20-13

YOU”RE A BETTER MAN THAN

I---Gunga Din

One of my Father’ favorite movies

Was a movie called, “GUNGA DIN”

It was about

A young Indian water boy

To British soldiers

In late 19^th century India

My Dad and I

Used to watch it together

Gunga Din

Always wanted to be a soldier

Towards the end of the movie

Three British soldiers and Gunga Din

Are captured, wounded, and incarcerated

The British troops

Are marching into an ambush

And are going to be annihilated

Despite being critically wounded

Gunga Din climbs up in plain sight of everyone

And blows the bugle

Warning the British troops

As he gets shot over and over again

Gunga Din---at the end of the movie

Posthumously is elevated

To the rank of soldier

I believe it was Rudyard Kipling

Who once wrote,

“If you can keep your head about you

When all those around are losing theirs

You are a better man than I am---GUNGA DIN”

Many people ask me,

“Why didn’t you become a Priest?”

The short answer is---health reasons

And I always HAD HOPE

That I might meet someone

And have my own family

It is funny

In that my father

Actually considered becoming a priest

Jesus, himself, was a nomadic preacher

Who moved from village to village

Town to town

Preaching the WORD OF GOD

It might be a good thing

That I never became a Priest

I find

That more people are open to me

And open to the WORD OF GOD

Because they know

I have no vested interest

Only to share

The message of God’s love and forgiveness with them

My friend---today---

We live in a godless society

In general

People don’t care about God

Only about their own selfish interests

If you believe in God

If you believe in love, forgiveness, and kindness

Towards and for each other

We are

ALL on the same side

Jesus himself said,

(When asked by the disciples

About someone doing miracles in his name)

“Do NOT STOP him

No one who does a miracle

In my name

Can in the next moment

Say anything bad about me

For whoever is not against us

IS FOR US”                                                                                 Mark 9:39-40

I have GREAT RESPECT

For ALL those

Truly doing the work of God

In today’s world

Those that are truly motivated by God and love

NOT their own selfish interests

And so

As this world

Continues to sling arrows and shoot at us

Shots of lust and sexuality

Shots of materialism and violence

Let us rise once again

Blow the bugle---and keep on blowing

For this world to RETURN TO GOD

And remember,

“If you can keep your head about you

When all those about

Are losing theirs

You’re a better man than I---GUNGA DIN”

IN JESUS’ NAME WE PRAY……………….

Robert P. Wallman

9-2-11

Ps        WITNESS        8-20-13