March - Lake Union Conference

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,me, my troubles began shortly after being asked by thefaculty to also join the night-watch team—a group comprisedmainly of seniors who liked to have a good time andwere intent on being sure the girls’ dorm was safe. I willnever forget how nervous I was on my first night of trainingwith the head night watchman. More than anything, Ihoped we would not find any trouble. But sure enough, aswe passed by the cafeteria that evening, my trainer said, “Ithink I hear someone in the cafe! Let’s go check it out.”I had not heard anything, and I certainly did not wantto catch anyone in the cafe. But he insisted we go in. Hepulled out his knife and, with a quick twist, picked thelock. We crept around the kitchen until we were certainnobody was there. Boy was I relieved!A funny thing though, the next night my trainer thoughthe heard someone in there again. So, he picked the lock,and soon we were inside. We walked all around the cafe,but again found no one. As we prepared to leave, he saidto me, “Gary, one thing you will find unfair about being anight watchman is that you will never eat breakfast, eventhough you are paying for it.”I hadn’t thought about that. He was right! There wasno way I was going to get up in time for breakfast on ourschedule. He then said, “To make up for the inequity, Isometimes fix a sandwich at night to hold me over untillunch. Gary, do you want a sandwich?” I said, “Yes,” andbefore I knew it we were fixing a sandwich.The next night we heard someone in the cafe again, andthe next night as well. As a matter of fact, we heard someonein the cafe every night! I wish I could tell you we justate a sandwich each time, but as the year progressed, webecame bolder. One night, we figured out how to pick thelock on the walk-in refrigerator, which opened up a wholenew world for us. We also discovered a way to get into thestoreroom, and the baking business began. We learned wecould supplement our income by selling leftovers to theguys in the dorm. We were so “smart,” and after all, wewere only getting what was “rightfully ours.”Somehow, it escaped us that perhaps the kitchen staffmight notice food was missing. A faculty “plant” was putI then saw myself as a common thief who had let down his friends,his parents, the faculty and my dean who had put so muchconfidence in me. Worst of all, I knew I had let my Lord down.into place to catch the thieves. On the night of the stakeout,the head RA and one of his friends were on duty.(Pretty much all of the night-watch team were involved inour food equity program.) Sure enough, they got caught.I found out about the bust the next morning, and immediatelywas confronted with the folly of my rationalization!How could I have been so stupid? I then saw myselfas a common thief who had let down his friends, hisparents, the faculty and my dean who had put so muchconfidence in me. Worst of all, I knew I had let my Lorddown.I sweated “bullets” all morning long as I waited to besummoned by the principal and the dean. I just knew Iwould need to pack my bags because I would be expelledwith the others. But they never came for me that morning,so I went to my afternoon classes. All I could thinkabout was what I would say when confronted about myinvolvement.18 | Ma r c h 2 0 0 8 • L a k e U n i o n H e r a l d T h e L a k e U n i o n He r a l d i s a v a i l a b l e o n l i n e .