Joe Dupe was an average seventeen year-old in Downtown Vancouver. A dropout and member of the Killer Dragon Gang. Joe was just another ruthless punk, the worst of all sinners. If only he knew what he was getting into before it was too late...
On the night of Thursday, April first, 1996, Joe Dupe, had a dream that would change his life forever. In his dream, Joe and his family were in their house, when a large group of people appeared on the horizon. Joe recognized them all; his first date
Maxine, his brother Anthony, an old lady at a Seven-Eleven, all people he had killed or ordered killed. They were all holding torches with guns, knives or clubs, all shouting "Kill him! Kill the murderer!" They burned down the house, but somehow Joe wasn't hurt. He ran into an alley, and saw the Bloodhounds, a rival gang, on the other side. With a bunch of blood- thirsty punks in front of him, and vengeful zombies
behind him, Joe seemed trapped. Suddenly, an angel, who looked like his girlfriend Gail, stopped them in their tracks and lifted Joe to a higher plain.
"I'm giving you a chance to reedeem yourself, Joe. Make the right choices this time." she said as she dropped him off at a
crossroads. The angel disappeared. And with that, Joe awoke.
The next day, after school ended, Joe went and talked to Gail. He told her about the dream.
"It seems to me," she said, "that you should quit all your evil ways. As the dream indicated, your past will catch up with you. Maybe not today, maybe not
tomorrow, but someday."
"Right," said Joe. "And what do I do if another gang goes after me, or worse, my own gang gets me for fear I may rat them out. Either way, I die."
"Maybe," Gail replied, "But at least if you do die, you may end up in a better place,instead of that fiery pit you're heading to now."
Joe paused to think and then said, "Alright, I'll do it."
"Be at my church sunday at 1:00. I,ll ask Pastor James to stay a little after the service to talk to you," she said. "You won't regret this..."
That Sunday Joe went to Gail's church, The Salvation Army, to talk to Captain James Clarke, the church's officer. James was a kind, understanding man with a hunger to serve God as well as man. As Joe walked into the office, Capt. James introduced himself.
"Hi, my name is Captain James Clarke, but you can call me Capt. James. You must be Joe. Gail has told me so much about you..."
"What did she say?" Joe asked.
"She's told me everything about you..." was the
answer. "Let's get down to business here. When did you get involved with this gang?"
"When I was fourteen," was Joe's response.
"I see," said Capt. James. "Well Joe, it says
here in the Bible that..."
"Don't give me that Bible crap, James!" shouted Joe. "If you want to help me, that's fine, but I don't want to hear that I'm just another sinner
going to Hell!"
"Wait, don't go!" said Capt. James.
"See ya!" shouted Joe as he stormed out of the
office. Gail caught him ashe left the building.
"So, how'd it go?" she asked.
"Fine," he said, "just fine." She watched in
horror as he walked away, a shot rang out, and Gail watched in horror as Joe clutched his chest and
hit the ground.
Joe was woken a week later by a funny beeping noise. He looked up and saw a small black screen with a green line in the middle. Every so often, the line went up and down, causing the beeping noise. Joe thought to himself, God I hate those
things. He saw five others in the room: Gail, Capt. James, and three nurses.
"Joe! You're alive!" shouted Gail.
"I'm surprsed you pulled through," said one nurse.
"We had to perform a lung transplant after that bullet lodged into your lung," said a second.
"You wouldn't be alive if it weren't for Capt.
James," said a third. "He was visiting late last night, and the same guy who put you here in the first
place came back to finish off the job. Capt. James alerted security and took a picture of the guy before he got away. You should be thankful to him."
"Thanks... Capt. James."
"Girls, could I talk to Joe alone please?" asked
Capt. James.
"Sure thing," said Gail.
"We've got other things to do," said the nurses as they left the room.
"Now that we're alone... Joe, I really want to help you. Will you let me help you?"
"Well, I guess I owe you some, so I'll listen to
your Bible talk," said Joe.
"Whenever you feel like it just come by my office. I'm there most of the time anyway, so you can come by and talk."
"I'll be there James..."
Every day for the next two weeks, Joe saw Capt. James, and he was counselled by him. Capt. James saw a huge change in him, as he began to accept The
Salvation Army's way of life as a good way. Then, on the twenty-fourth of April, 1996, Joe Dupe accepted
Jesus Christ as his personal savior. As he left the church, he was so happy he didn't hear the all to familiar sound of a gun, or see the same Bloodhound who shot him three weeks prior pull out his gun...
Joe Dupe died that day. Although Joe lived his life in sin, he asked to be forgiven just before he died. Thanks to his last minute descision, Joe was allowed to spend an eternity with his Heavenly Father. So, instead of the end, this is truly...
the beginning.
If you would like to e-mail Ben concerning this, or any of his other work, feel free to at: bdobson_jr_@hotmail.com He loves mail!!!
