D. J. Poulton 2020 | Ormeau | Queensland | Australia| Contact Dave
DAVO’S HOME PAGE FOR VIETNAM VETERANS
YOU CAN RUN; BUT YOU CAN”T HIDE!My Testimony - The Year was 1974… TherewasnodoubtthatVietnamhadcausedamajorchange inmypersonalityandoverallbearing.Icontinuedtorefuseto believethattherewasanythingwrongwithme.Itwasn’tme whohadchanged,itwasalltheAustralianpeoplewhohad changedfortheworse.Iwastheinnocentpartyinallthis,soI thought. I was headed for self-destruct and I didn’t know it.IntheyearsafterreturningfromVietnamIhadmadeagood friendwithaguycalledNev.Hewasn’taVietnamVet,buthe hadservedinthearmyasaregularsoldier.HeandIgotonreallywell.Wehadsimilartastesandwe bothworkedforMSSatourtimeofmeeting.Wewererealscoundrels.Webothlovedabeerand weren’t afraid of anything. Wewerebothmarried,hadkidsandthetwofamilyunitsgotalongfine.OnedayNevdroppedinand toldmehewascallingitquitsinSydneyandheadingtoQueensland.HeneededtogetoutofSydney forhisfamiliessake,butmoreimportantlytosavehismarriage.WhatwasItodo?Mybestmatewas doing a bunk. He was adamant and away they went. MywifeandIspiralledfurtherintoarut.Ourmarriagewasfrailatbest.Nothingwasworkingforus,and Iwasprogressivelygettingmoreanti-social.Thedemonstrationshadtakenitstollonme,andIwas quite willing to call the marriage to an end.IthadbeenacoupleofyearssinceNevhadleft.Wehadkeptincontact,butmyolddrinkingmate wasn’taroundsoIhadfoundsomenewones.Ihadadrinkingproblem,alongwithanti-social behaviourcharacterisedbyangerandwithdrawal.Mymarriagewasatthepointofnoreturn.Wehad decidedtodoarenovationinthemainbathroom.MywifeandIwereatconstantloggerheads,andI tookmyrageoutonthefloorIwasrippingup.IhadacoldchiselandahammerandIgavethefloor someandabitmoretoo.Inthemidstofflyingconcrete,dust,profanitiesandragetherecameaknock onthedoor.KathanswereditanditwasNevandhiswifeHelen.Theyhaddrivenallthroughthenight from Ipswich to come and get us and take us back to his place for a rest. Weird huh? Let me explain. Iputthetoolsdown,wenttothedoorandtherewasNev–myoldmate,fullofsmilesandashappyas Larry.Isaid,“MateifIhadknownyouwerecomingIwouldhavestockedthefridgeandhadabottleof JWonhand.”Nevlookedatmewithasmilethatcaughtmyattentionandsaid,“DaveIdon’tneed alcoholtomakemehappyanymore,Ihaveadifferentspiritthatdoesthetrickwithoutthehangover.” “You’rekiddingmeNev!”“Yousayingyouhavegivenupthebooze?”“Yep,foundpeaceinQueensland and we have been sent to take you back.” Nowletmetellyou,Iwouldhavebeenflattenedbyafeatheratthatpoint.Herewasmymate,my buddyNevtellingmethathedidn’tneedboozetobehappy.Yeahright!SoIinvitedtheminandasked how they got to my place as there was no car parked in the driveway. Here is their remarkable tale of adventure. NevandHelenhadbeenpicnickingonthebanksofariveroutsideIpswich.Theyhadobserveda churchwaterbaptismserviceonthebanksoftheriverandweretakenbyitandthepeoplethere. TherespoketothepastorandtheendresultwasthattheydecidedthattheirlifeoutsideofChristwas failing.So,thereandthen,theygavetheirlifetoJesusChristandaskedHimtobetheLordoftheirlife. Nevsaidtheychangewasimmediate.Hefeltashevoicedthewordsofinvitationthatafragrance comeoverhimthatgavehimthefeelingofcleanliness.ForthefirsttimeinHislife,hefeltcleanand freefromthestrugglesoflife.AsNevsharedhisconversionstory,everythinginmewassaying,“That doesit! Assoonasyouarefinished,itsoutthedoorpal.”IhadseensomethingsinVietnamthathad convincedmethatGodwasjustamyth. Aconceptthathadhoodwinkedpeopleforthousandsofyears. If there was a God, He certainly went AWOL in Vietnam big time. Nevthentoldmehowhecametobeonmydoorstep.HeandHelenwerepraying,andhesaidthatthe HolySpirithadspokentohim.GotoLiverpool;bringDaveandKathandhischildrenbacktoBrisbane. HewasobedienttotheHolySpirit’svoiceandbothHeandHelengotintheircaranddrovethroughthe night.AstheyapproachedAspintheircarbrokedownandtheyhadtoparkitonthesideoftheroad. Theygotacabfrom AspintoourhomeatLiverpool,(hencetheabsenceofacarinthedriveway). They saidtheywerenotgoingtoletanoldcargetinthewayofwhatGodhadtoldthemtodo,andthey weren’t going back to Queensland without us. NevworkedonmewhileHelenworkedonKathaboutthetripnorth.At2:00amthenextmorningwe hadourVWBeetleloadedupwiththe3kidsandwesetoffforBrisbane.Wedrovethroughthenight withacoupleoffuelandreststops,arrivingatNev’shomeatIpswichmidmorning.Werewebushed? Youbet!Thetripupwasok.KathandIhaddecidednottofightonthewayupandwedidn’t–toour credit.Weallhitthesackforagoodsleepandaroselateafternoonintimefortheeveningmeal.Mostofthe nightwasspentsharingonwhathadtranspiredsincewelastsaweachother.Iwasstilltakenbythe wayNevandHelenhadcomedowntogetus.ItpuzzledmeandIcouldn’tcomprehenditatall.Why wouldheandHelendosuchathing?Theycouldhavejustrangusandaskedhowwewere,butwhy downeverything,leapintheircaranddriveallthatwaywithapossibilityofafirmrebuffattheother end? Today the phrase would be, “Go figure it out!” NevandHelenbothkeptuptheGodbit.Wouldtheyevershutup? AfterafewdaysIwasgettingquite tiredofitallandconsideringseriouslygettinginthecaranddrivingbacktoSydney,leavingmywife andkidstoworkouthowtogethomethebestwaytheyknew.OnthefourthdayinIpswich,Helenand NevhadaskedKathtogototheCatholicChurchatBardoninBrisbanefortheirFridaynight charismaticservice.Iobjectedbeinghauledalongtothemeeting,butIwasconvincedotherwise.We setofffromIpswichandIdrovetheVWwithallfourofusinit.Thekidswerebeinglookedafterby Nev’schildren,sowewerefreetocruiseovertothechurch. AbouthalfwayalongthefreewayIstopped thecarandthreatenedtogetoutandwalkoffwiththekeys.Itoldthemthatthebesttheycouldhope forwaspushthecarovertothesideoftheroadandrot. Thereasonfortheblow-upwasthis.Fromthe momentweleftNev’splacehespruikedonaboutJesusandhowHehadchangedHislifeforthebetter andhowIshouldacceptHimasmyLordandSaviour.WellthemorehetalkedthemoreIgotangry untilIhadhadenoughandstoppedthecar.NevsawthatIwasn’tkiddingaroundandsaidthathe wouldgetinthebackseatandnottalktomeaboutJesusagain.Iwasmildlyhappywiththatand agreed.NevjumpedinthebackseatandHelentookupthefrontseat. Assoonaswegotgoingagain, NevstartedupinthebackseattalkingaboutJesus.Igavehimafewexpletivesandhepromptly replied,“I’mnottalkingtoyou,I’mtalkingtoyourwife.”WhatcouldIsay.HehadgotmeandIhadno come back. Helen never spoke for the rest of the journey, whilst Kath and Nev babbled on about Jesus.WhenwearrivedatthechurchinBardonthecarparkwasprettyfull.OnenteringthechurchIwas shockedtoseeitatnearcapacityof500people.Therewasarealbuzzintheairwithpeoplegreeting andhuggingeachother.Everyonewasashappyasabarfullofdrunks.However,noneofthosethere were happy from alcohol. The atmosphere freaked me out a bit and I felt like bolting out the door. Themeetingstartedwithabandplayingratherup-temposongs.StrangeforachurchIthought.Then again,whatwouldIknow.Therewasanunsittingnexttomeonmyleftandoneinfrontofmewho bothsmiledatmeeverytimeoureyesmet.Smile,smile,smile–itwasdrivingmecrazy.Asthe meetingprogressedtheysmiledevenmore.Whenthetimecametogreeteachother,thesetwonuns madeabee-lineforme.“You’vegottobekiddingme!”Icouldn’tescapeaswewereinthemiddleof therow.Ismiledback,toldafewliesabouthowgreatIwasandwhatajoyitwastobethere.The meetingcontinuedaftersomeresemblanceoforderwasobtained.Aguystoodupandmovedtoa microphone near the altar and began to speak. “TherearetwopeopleheretonightandGodwantstoaskyouthreequestions.”“OKIthought.Nowthe inmatesfromtheasylumhavetakenover.”Hecontinuedon,“Godwantstoaskyouthreequestions andyouranswertoeachhasadirectbearingonwhatthefutureholdsforyou.”“Letmeoutofhere please!” I whispered to myself. “The first question God wants to ask you is this, ‘Who am I to you?’” AshefinishedaskingthequestionIthought,“Whocaresahoot.Goddoesn’texist.IknowHedoesn’t because I have been in Vietnam and there is no God. Besides I’m going mad even thinking an answer.”“The second question God wants to ask you is, ‘What am I to you?’” AgainmybrainbegantoconsiderthequestionandIfoundmyselfthinkingtheanswer.“Nothing.You weren’t there to help me in Vietnam.” Whenthesefirsttwoquestionswereasked,thetwonunsturnedtomeandsmiledallthemore.“What weretheyupto?Whyweretheysointentonlookingatme?Wishtheywouldputasockinitandgive me a break.” “The third question God wants to ask you is this. ‘What are you to Me?’” WithoutthinkingIsuddenlyblurted,“Abloodynuisance!”Itwasquiteaudiblesothateveryonearound mecouldhear.Thenunsturnedagainandsmiledatme.IfeltsoembarrassedthatIbeganlookingat thefloortoseeifitwastimberandhowbigthecrackswere.NevandHelenchuckledandKathlooked at me as if I was about to usher in another war. The moment I blurted out, “A bloody nuisance,” I experienced a feeling that I can only describe as being cleanedoutontheinside. AsIsatthere,Iwastotallyawareofonlyonethinghappeningtome.Itwas asifsomeonehadputahoseforavacuumcleanerinmyear. AllIcouldhearwasasuckingsoundand therealfeelingofrubbishandbaggagebeingreplacedwithasweetfragrance.Ihadnorecollectionof therestofthemeetingotherthanagentlemanasking,“Ifanyoneherewantstoknowmoreaboutwho Jesusis,pleasemeetwithusintheroomtotherightrearofthesanctuaryintenminutes.”WhenI heardthat,Iwasupandoffoverthepews.IwastoldlaterthatIleapedoverthealterrailandtookan uninvitedshort-cutacrossthealtaritself.Ican’trememberwhatwentonthatroomorwhatwassaid. TheonlythingIdoknowisthatIcametothechurchcursingGodandleftpraisingHimandthanking Himforturningmylifearound.IaskedNevifIcouldborrowaBiblebecauseIwantedtoreaditfrom cover to cover. Nev and Helen, not to mention my wife, were amazed at the transformation in me. PeopletoldmethatwhatIhadexperiencedwasaGodmoment,andrealconversion.Iremember havingthisthirstforGodandapassiontoseeothersexperiencetherealityofmeetingJesus.IguessI musthavebeenarightpaininthoseearlydays,butitwasgoingtosetmeupforawalkwithGodthat even today still leaves me amazed. SohereIwasin1974abrandnewChristian,prayingforthosewhomonthsearlierIwantedtobelt. The thingthatIfoundoutwasthatthiswholeQueenslandexercisewasaverycarefullyexecutedplanby Godtotakeame,apersonwhowastotallyatriskofdestroyinghimselfandallthosearoundme,toa placewhereHecouldinterveneandchangemylifeforthebetter.Ihadeverythingtogainand absolutely nothing to lose. WhenGodcallsyourdayofsalvationout,that’sit,Hegoesafteryou.WhenHedoes,justsay'YES.' You'll be the better for it! If God can do that for me, He can do it for you!go to top