"Hello? Mr. Helms, sir this is your mortgage company calling." I heard the ominous voice on the other end of the phone connection. "Yes" I said, "I realize that I'm behind in my payments but my hours have been cut at work, I need a little extra time." "I'm sorry sir," came the reply. "You're two payments behind already and a third is coming due in a few days. I'm afraid that date is when we start foreclosure proceedings." There it was, the end of the road… foreclosure.

My wife and I had been trying every way that we knew to come up with the money. There was no one left to borrow from and certainty nothing over the horizon. And to top it all off, I was trying to get money together to go to our FCF chapter Trace. "How can you even think about leaving me with all this on my mind and go off camping?" asked my wife. Deep down inside, I knew that she really wanted me to go. I was supposed to take my wilderness vigil this trip. I had missed the last few opportunities and some of the guys were starting to ask if my wilderness pouch was part of my uniform.

Time marches on, as it has a habit of doing, and trace time was upon me. I had a decision to make. I'd already made arrangements to take off from work, that was the easy part. As I prepared by faith to go, my wife had to go and bring logic into the picture. "You know" she began, "we don't have any money for you to go, so why bother getting ready?" I couldn't explain it right then, but somewhere inside me was this burning necessity to go. I had to go no matter what!

My truck was all loaded, the tipi poles were strapped on top and I was all prepared to leave. I had planned on leaving right from work at midnight and drive the 2 1/2 hours to camp. Just before I'm ready to leave for work, the phone rings. One of my FCF brothers needs a ride and a place to stay. In exchange he would pay for my gas over and back. Praise God I'm going to camp!

I could hardly wait for work to end so I could begin my journey to camp. I had been up the whole night before preparing, and all day packing. Then to work at 2pm and now it's midnight, no sleep and I'm gone to camp, I guess I was driving on pure adrenaline. We arrived about 3am with no problems. We decided to sleep in the van until daybreak, and then set up camp. I didn't have to be a Pathfinder's lodge until 2pm, plenty of time. Still excited and keyed up, I didn't get much more than an hour's sleep.

Dawn arrived only too early, and as I prepared to set up camp, my brother suggested that we go into town and get a hot meal. Well I had about enough change in my ashtray to get a cup of coffee, so I agreed. When we got to the restraunt, my partner announced that he was going to buy my breakfast. What a blessing! After finishing the best breakfast that I'd had in a long time, we departed for camp. Upon arriving everyone greeted us with open arms and brotherly Christian love. A little ribbing about the pouch still around my neck, but I didn't care. All my problems were at home and I was here. So I thought…

As 2pm drew closer and closer and camp was almost set up, I realized that I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was. I was minus a lot of things, I was supposed to have brought with me from home, but in the rush and excitement I forgot. I blamed my wife for her constant nagging about the bills. Well I was now convinced that I was not ready to be tested. I had psyched myself out completely. But God had other plans for me. Things started appearing, if I needed something, someone would show up with that item.

"Five minutes, Gator!" That was my cue, only five minutes to go! As I walked to Pathfinder's lodge lugging all by belongings, there was still one thing I did not have. Water! Water was the most important thing on the list. Well I guess I could do without for one night.

All the candidates were briefed, and told what was expected of them. We prayed and then the testing began. Oh by the way someone came up with a canteen for me to use… I passed all the testing in black powder, tomahawk, knife and the knowledge of them all. I had about a minute or two before we were to leave for our vigil. I rushed to the water nozzle and tried to put as much water in the canteen as I could. The only problem was that this particular canteen was made from a horn and it had a small weep hole. It was supposed to be submersed into water and filled that way. I neither had the time or the means for the procedure. Consequently I only got about a 1/2-pint into the container.

Off we go into the woods to spend the night alone with God. Not a problem, I'd done that lot of times at home… As the other candidates were placed in their perspective spots, I was led to a place that I felt had a special meaning. how right I was. Red Feather, our FCF president is a special friend of mine. He had taken his vigil in this very same spot, and he saved it for me. As he departed I looked around and saw all the dead wood and thought. "This is going to be a snap"

I completed all my tasks early and had my camp all set up by the time Red Feather had returned. He told me that this spot was very special to him and he wanted me to have it for my vigil. We talked for a while and he went on to take care of the many duties that he had as president. I settled down to spend the night with my Lord. My personal problems were over 2 hours to the east. Or were they?

It was unusually humid that night, and my water did not last too long. I have been on high-pressure medication for quite a while and I was starting to dehydrate and didn't know it. I could feel myself getting weaker and didn't know why. I stumbled once or twice. Then I tried to swallow and couldn't, that's when I knew I was in trouble.

I tried to lie down to calm myself, yet I knew what the problem was. I was less than ten feet from the Peace River, but I knew that it was contaminated form all the runoff of the phosphate mines upstream. Finally in my mind and my heart, I gave up, I wanted no more. All I really wanted was a long cool drink and my cot back in my tipi. Not knowing how, I stumbled through the woods, all the way back to camp. Upon arriving there, I told the first person I met to go get Pathfinder and Doc. When they got there, they asked what was wrong, was I hurt or what? I explained that I'd been working two jobs trying to save my house and hadn't had more than 3 hours sleep in the last 48 hours. Beside all my effort it still looked like I was going to lose my house by default. Doc immediately asked if I had any water at my camp. I then explained the situation. Well, then did I have anything cold to drink in my tipi? I knew that I had a half-gallon of sweet tea in an ice chest. They told me to go and get it and drink it down. I did as I was instructed. I also at 4 oatmeal pies with sugar frosting filling. This gave me a quick sugar blast and helped pull me back. I was asked if I could make it until communion, which was going to be in about an hour. After that if I wanted I could come in. Doc walked me back to my camp and helped me get my fire going again. My sponsor brought me another gallon canteen filled with ice water. Man did that ever taste good. After getting me settled, they asked if I was ok, and I assured them that I was. They said they would see me at the communion service. After they left I cried and prepared to end my vigil and end my hopes of becoming a wilderness member.

Red Feather came and got me for the communion service. After we all partook of the symbols, he put his arms around me and cried to the Lord. All my brothers there laid their hands on me and together we sought Jesus. Tears streamed down my face; it was all I could do to stand up under the weight of everyone's presence. But they held me up and kept praying and praying and praying. After what seemed like an endless time I was led back to my camp. It was now about 11pm only 7 hours to go and it would all be over. Later on I would reflect how those 7 hours would seem like 700 hours. I had several visitors during the next couple of hours. Doc, Red Feather, Pathfinder and others all came to see how I was. I had decided that I was going to finish my vigil all by myself…

About 2 am I was getting a little punch drunk, and wanted to snap out of it. So I started singing songs, hymns really. Hymns that I hadn't sang in 20 years or more. Then I started praying, asking God what he wanted me to do. Pleading for an answer, desperately needing an answer, any answer. I started begging God to show me a sign or give me a message that would show me what to do. Have you ever been alone in the woods and you had the feeling that someone or something was watching you from behind a bush or a rock? I turned quickly and saw in the distance a tombstone, no writing on it but I knew if there was, just what it would say. In my own feeble mind I interpreted it to be the devils message what he was going to do to me. Finally finish me off and drive me into the ground.

I hollered "NO! God I demand that you do something, I've done all I have in me to do, it's now up to you." I turned back around and the stone was gone. Was this a sign? I prayed that it was. Was God really going to handle my problems? On into the early hours of the morning I prayed, I sang, and I danced. Finally just before dawn I was exhausted. I knew that I could not sleep; yet I knew my body was yearning for rest. Finally I made up my mind that God was going to have to handle my problems. I shouted at the top of my lungs, "God is great!" I could hear it echo down the river.

Dawn finally arrived and I was ready for whatever the devil had to throw at me. God was on my side now and there was not a thing that Satan could do the hurt me. After returning to the main camp, we were served a hot breakfast from the wilderness members. Despite my problems the previous night I was welcomed into the wilderness ranks. After a time we were released to clean up for the day. I went back to my lodge, fell into my cot and slept for 6 hours. My sleep was so deep and refreshing that I slept through the noise of over 100 people firing their blackpowder rifles. Even though my tipi was pitched not more than about 50 feet from the firing line.

When I awoke, everything had taken on a new meaning, a new glory filled my soul and the rest of the Trace was a glorious happening. After returning from Trace and again facing what was at home, I reassured my wife that there was nothing to worry about. God had given me his assurance that the situation was now in his hands.

I called the Mortgage Company, to try once more to make some kind of arrangements. They said there was a "new" program called VA streamline. It was a program for existing VA loans, no credit check, no closing costs, and no employment verification. There was only one catch, you have to be up to date on your payments, and I'm two payments behind. Another stumbling block was put in my path. I could see the goal at the end, but it was partially obscured by the $1500 that I owed. Doubt filled my wife's mind and mouth. Calmly I tried to reassure her that God's going to handle it. I went to Pastor and asked his advice. The first thing he asked me was if I had been faithful in my tithing? Unknown to me at that time, on his desk was a computer printout of my tithing for the past year. I never hated computers so much as at that moment. But being a good Royal Ranger, I could not tell a lie. "I try to be as faithful as possible when I can" Pastor then told me that the Lord has promised, that if I keep the things of God first, that he will handle the rest.

Pastor and I prayed together and I made a vow to pay my tithing as a faithful servant, regardless of the situation. I told my wife that we must pay tithing first above all else. My wife agreed to do so also. So we started our new Christian endeavor. No matter what happened we made that effort to pay God what was his first. The phone calls tapered off and then one day my wife called me at work and told me a miracle had happened. Someone from the church offered to pay my back due mortgage payments! Praise God! He's handling the situation just like He promised me he would. If you put the things of God first, he promises to take care of everything else.

The terms of the loan were repayment, when I could afford it. I couldn't believe it! I called the mortgage company and told them a money order was in the mail for all three payments and that I'd like to sign up for the streamline program. Things started happening; paperwork arrived and was signed and sent back. Our payments dropped over $100 per month. Praise God! Maybe the light at the end of the tunnel wasn't a train after all, but the Glory of God!

My attitude at work was much better now, I couldn't believe it. God actually saw my need and provided one of His own to take care of it. At my job, I was a different person, I could feel it inside and I showed it outside. I told others what had happened. They couldn't believe it. They said I was lucky. No I said I was blessed. For truly are we blessed as we do God's will.

I have always been a very self-motivated type of person. Doing what I had to do to get by, But nothing more. God made me aware that there is more to life than just getting by. As the word says "He desires me to prosper as my soul prospers."

I promise God and thank Him with my whole soul and being. Many things have happened in the past few years since I started this narrative to enforce God's love. I am God's child and my father will take care of me. Thank you Lord!

See ya next time