Soldier has Christian roommate, [Dave Roever] calls him “Preacher-man.” Christian calls him “Pervert Number One”. His friend is Number Two. Soldier is badly wounded, filled with anger. Marries, then almost divorces. Drinks, fights. Turns to God.
Hears Preacher-Man was killed with a phosphorus grenade. Then hears he is alive and calls him on radio program. Both go to church together, where Preacher-man is giving a message.
~~~~~~~~~~ [November 15, 1991] ~~~~~~~~~~ Background ~~~~~~~~~~
Dave Roever (pronounced Reever) in “From Tragedy to Triumph” video tape.
Grew up in Christian home, married high school sweetheart, went to Bible college, got drafted, decided to enlist in Navy, took SEAL training and was assigned to riverine warfare. His buddies were all corrupt (see story of one of them above) and took shots for venereal disease, while Dave remained faithful to his wife. They called him “Preacher-Man.”
While on a patrol he prepared to throw a phosphorus grenade to clear a booby- trapped area. It went off in his hand (a sniper may have shot his hand) and burned up half his body. The right side of his face was burned down to the skull, his chest was blown off so he could see his heart beating. He threw himself into the water only to see the phosphorus burning intensely white even under water. They pulled him back in the boat and medivaced him to a hospital. Two weeks later they opened up his chest and he caught on fire again from concealed phosphorus (the doctor’s report testifies to this); he burned all the way through the gurney and fell on the floor. Thirteen other patients were taken with him to an intensive care unit in Houston, and twelve died there. One wife came up to her wounded soldier, was disgusted and never came back. His wife whispered, “I love you, Davey.” He regained sight in his right eye, had his face reconstructed, wears a plastic ear and hairpiece, but can play piano dramatically.
His wife gave this invitation:
“Everyone is going to serve a god. You may not serve the same God I serve. You may serve Buddha, or Allah, or the god of Mars – he was the god of war and violence.
We act like the god we serve. If you are a violent person, you’re serving the god of Mars. There’s another god called Venus, the goddess of sex.
I want you to think about this: When you are lying in a battlefield, legs and arms blown off, lying there dying, Is your god big enough to pull you through? If the god you serve cannot care for you, I suggest you change gods now, and serve the One who will take care of you, who will pull you through in difficult circumstances.”