No, not THAT wedding feast... It was 1976, and Ron & Shirley Behome had just been married and they celebrated with a wedding feast. The only place big enough to feed a crowd so large was in the cafeteria of the local Jr. High school.

Ron was our Youth With A Mission (YWAM) team leader. His friends flew in from all around the world to speak to the hungry masses. To this 19 yr old, 2nd year YWAM’er, it was all VERY COOL.

As a part of the local YWAM team, we waited on tables; making sure everything was perfect for our beloved friends. It was a huge success. The long list of speakers stirred our hearts, igniting a fire to reach the far ends of the world for Jesus.

Then, just before the bride and groom were to make their exit, Ron pulled me aside.

“Dave, I want you to take our special guests somewhere for an hour or so of fellowship time.”

My heart skyrocketed! He picked ME to entertain his friends! ...My knees began to shake; he picked ME to entertain his friends?

“S-sure Ron, leave it to me.”

Ok, I was only 19 so naturally I took them to the cheapest greasy spoon around. Hey, the Joe was only 50 cents and the refills were free. How could I go wrong? Everyone ordered tea, so who was I to be the odd man out? Besides, with enough cream and sugar, it was almost tasty.

I sat where I could watch the clock. We made it an hour and as long as I kept my yap shut, there was little chance of putting my foot in it. That’s when I noticed that I’d forgotten all about my tea. The sweet, milky brew sat untouched.

All night long, the conversations were on the advancement of the gospel around the world. Why did someone have to tell a joke just as I inhaled my cold cup of tea?

Tea sprayed out my nose like a fire hose. It happened so fast, but I watched it all in slow motion. My eyes took a Polaroid picture that haunts me to this day. Every face twisted in shock and horror as they fled to beyond the reach of my milky white spew.

Doctor Phil and thirty years of self-help tapes have finally enabled me to re-enter the world.


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