Faith to some local residents just comes differently

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, May 21, 2002

Faith is like a fishing line, in a way.

The stronger the line, the bigger the catch it can pull in. But if kept neatly coiled around the spool for all to admire, it has no practical value.

Whether the line is long enough for casting or just a few feet for angling from the dock is of little significance. The pure satisfaction we feel when catching something, anything, never occurs from merely owning a rod and reel. Nibbling at the lure means that something got our attention; reeling in an empty hook can only mean that one fish got something to grow on until next time, and that’s not all bad, either.

Email newsletter signup

Some people have known the Lord so long, that they can’t remember when their faith, which means complete trust, became a reality to them. It may have sprouted gradually from Gospel seeds, planted in their souls while hearing Bible stories at home or in Sunday school. It may have happened through prayers for peace of mind to get through the darkness of fear or tragedy.

Olga Bungum, a resident at St. Mark’s Lutheran Home, can’t remember when she first came to know God. Several strokes and bouts of pneumonia have slowed her thought and speech processing somewhat, but there is nothing wrong with her ability for reasoning or remembrance. She is one, who as a homemaker has been &uot;casting&uot; her faith line close to the shore, thus being an inspiration to her immediate as well as extended family, and to her neighbors. When asked if she believes that her remarkable recovery from strokes and breathing difficulties may be attributed to prayers of her loved ones, she smiles.

&uot;Of course!&uot; Olga says, adding that she knows the Lord is with her all the time. At 89, it’s only natural for her eyesight and hearing to become impaired, but since keeping in touch with God is a spiritual phenomenon that requires no otic or optic guidance, Olga can. To many staff she is a favorite, and fellow residents call her a great friend.

While some have put their trust in God all their lives, others are with their own hands groping for assurance and happiness. Tom Braaten is a retired truck driver, living at Our House assistant living facility in Austin. Tom doesn’t hesitate to talk about his roller-coaster journey, which ended when he hit the bottom and had a close brush with death. He talks openly about his alcoholism that nearly did him in. Once, when Tom was suffering with something worse than a hangover, he crawled in the back of the truck and lay down, saying,

&uot;Well, God, if I’m ready, I guess I’m ready to go, but He said 'no, keep on going. Take a nap, get some rest.' And I said, God, I need a little help here.&uot; Help did come, in the form of another driver who promised to look in on him.

&uot;I was on the road all the time, driving out of Minneapolis and all over the country,&uot; Tom says. &uot;I had several mini-strokes. Then I had to pull over, take 2-3 aspirin and crawl in the back to get some sleep. I’d cry out to the Lord and curse and apologize to him, you know. Once, when I was coming back from Texas, I found someone in Oklahoma City I could really talk to. Her and I talked about everything, you know.&uot;

Tom lets on that while staying in Minneapolis, a recovering alcoholic and friend noticed the miserable state he was in while trying to give up the booze. Tom felt like a stranger in the city and was leery about going to AA meetings, but his friend talked him into going with him. He saw new people coming to the meetings and felt sorry for them. He knew what they were going through and prayed for them. There he made friends he could talk to. By &uot;friends&uot; he means people who are honest about their addictions and their efforts in taking control by heeding the &uot;Ten Steps&uot; and the prayer. Here, he also found that there really is a God who cares, hears prayers and will help.

&uot;But you have to believe,&uot; Tom insists, &uot;and you have to be honest. If you give up booze but keep doing drugs, you’re not honest. You have to give up both addictions.&uot;

Tom had been through by-pass surgery, followed by rehabilitation at St. Marks, when he took an apartment at the Austin Twin Towers.

Tom Braaten knows without a doubt that were it not for his faith in God, he would not have made it. &uot;He listens, and if we listen, we’ll get an answer,&uot; he says. &uot;But He’s slow sometimes.&uot; That’s according to our thinking, Tom admits, his eyes glimmering with delight. &uot;He’s got a sense of humor, you know. Be careful what you ask for. You might get it,&uot; he says, adding, &uot;I’m proud of my faith. I’m proud to say I love God, and Jesus, and I’m proud to have been an alcoholic. That’s what made me who I am today -- an honest person.

&uot;Another thing -- you pray for bad people, and they don’t know what hit them,&uot; he adds with a hearty chuckle.