A brother related his experience of before he became a Witness. He had been in the Vietnam war and was on the "Search and Destroy" team. (We were told by his best friend later that his job was to go around after the ambushes and kill anything that moved, he didnt tell us that off the platform as it would have been a little graphic for us all).
He told us of a situation where he found himself in a shoot or be shot situation with a 12yrs old boy. He shot and killed the boy to save his own life. He explained that he now suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. He talked while tears ran down his face of how every day he sees the face of that young boy and it strikes deeply at his heart that he took his young life away.
His experience was related in the part about how we have the privilege of living in a spiritual paradise even now. He said that before he found the truth he was lost and wanted to kill himself because of the extreme guilt he felt over his past actions in the war. He then went on the explain the impact the truth has had on him and how now although he still grieves every day for that young boy he has the hope of seeing him again in the resurrection and he hopes and prays that Jehovah will give him the chance to meet the boy, to study with him and to teach him the truth!
The dear brother had tears rolling down his face throughout the entire interview and he had to stop a few times to get it together so he could carry on. The brother interviewing him was the same and we, the audience silently felt his pain and cried quietly with him too. What a moving day that was!
The truth cant take away our past actions, but it sure can put them into perspective. It allows us the chance to make amends as it were and to make the most of our now precious time sharing a wonderful hope of eternal blessings for all, with others. What a privilege!!
