THE BUS DRIVER
BY KEILA FISCHER

Living in a 3/4 house for substance abuse you don’t get out a lot. When invited to church by the women teaching the Bible study I thought, “Why not?” I was told the bus would come and pick me up at 9:45 Sunday morning. When Sunday morning came, I stood at the upstairs bedroom window and watched the bus pull up. A man got out and came to the door. He knocked forever. I hollered to one of the women, “Tell him I’m sick.” Little did I realize just how soul sick I truly was.

She told him my message and he said, “Tell her Brother Victor is praying for her.”

The next week, I stood at the window and watched again. “Tell him I’m sick.” And the reply, “Tell her Brother Victor is praying for her.”

The next week I thought, “Oh my, won’t this bus driver ever go away?” By the fourth Sunday, I was already watching out the window at 9:30. The Lord put a thought in my mind… “You could be dressed and at the door in 15 minutes.” Just that quick, I cleaned up and headed for the door. As I got to the door, up the walk came the bus driver with the biggest smile on his face.

“Am I sure I want to do this?” I thought.

Brother Victor was already opening the door, “Hello.” He says, “I am Brother Victor.”

“Brother Victor?” I thought, “Why would he think he is my brother?”

As he ushered me to the bus, he began to tell me of the goodness of Jesus. That man talked about Jesus the entire trip. He would stop to pick up others who were always waiting at the sidewalk, then go back to testifying, not only about what the Lord had done for him, but now it was about his wife. He dropped us in front of the church and said he would be right there after service.

A month or so later, I went to the altar. The Lord was so sweet and the altar felt so safe, I lost track of time. I felt like Cinderella at the ball. Then the thought came, “Oh no, my ride!” I ran to the front door of the church and there was Brother Victor, smiling, the bus behind him. The night I made the decision to be baptized the bus driver was there somehow in the crowd, and afterward escorted me to the bus. By the time I received the precious gift of the Holy Ghost the Lord had blessed me with a car, but I always looked for the bus driver to say hello and thank you.

Less than a year later, I was visiting the church. I had to find Brother Victor. “Look, bus driver, the Lord has blessed me with a husband who loves the truth.” Brother Victor just smiled. “This is Ray, Brother Victor, and by the way, thank you for driving the bus.”

Two years later, I was again visiting the church. “Oh Brother Victor! Look, bus driver, what the Lord has blessed me with.” I held our son so he could see – “His name is Gage. Oh yes, and thank you for driving the bus.” Brother Victor is unable to speak because of the tears in his eyes. No words are needed.

Again some time later… “Where is Brother Victor?” And when I found him, “Brother Victor, my younger brother and his family have come to Jesus. They were baptized two weeks ago in Mt. Morris. I just wanted to say thank you for driving the bus.” He begins rejoicing and praising Jesus, tears streaming down his face.

Thank you Brother Victor, for driving that church bus with your whole heart.

THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY APOSTOLIC WRITERS DIGEST, SEPTEMBER 2003, PAGE FOUR. THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.