Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: WASTE (10/11/18)
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TITLE: Dumping the Waste | Previous Challenge Entry
By Linda Berg
10/18/18 -
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That’s not for me, is it?
The close persistence of the State Patrol reiterated that.
Yes, he’s trying to stop me.
“Looks like I’m being stopped,” I said to my wife.
“What did you do? Are you speeding?” she asked.
“No. I don’t know why I'm being stopped."
We were driving Eastbound on a busy interstate running from Texas north and east through Oklahoma. I pulled off to the right stopping on the gravel shoulder.
My wife reached into the middle console to have ready the papers the officer would request.
Pushing the window button, to let the window down, the officer appeared to my left.
“Hello, sir. I need to see your license, registration and insurance.”
Taking those items from my wife, I handed them over to the officer. After looking them over, he asked both of us to step out of the van.
My wife opened her door and exited to the right, as I exited the officer stepped aside but then guided me to the right and rear of our vehicle.
He indicated he was going to do a full search of our vehicle. But before he began he used his lapel radio to call in back-up.
Okay, this was no usual traffic stop. I bet he thinks we’re smuggling.
I looked at my wife and could tell she was thinking the same thing.
The officer began to ask the usual questions but then they took a turn indicating my suspicions were correct.
“How often do you travel across the border from Mexico to the U.S? When was the last time you crossed the border? Why do you travel across the border frequently? How long were you in the United States on your last trip? What part of the country were you traveling in during that trip? What do you have in your van that needs to be declared?
I answered each question but before he finished his inquisition, the second patrol unit arrived. It was a Canine unit.
The officer told us to not move and both men began to thoroughly go through our van. Opening all doors, they allowed the dog to go inside, after he ran all over the van sniffing in every area, they climbed in all seats, reaching down and along each one. They checked under the hood with a flashlight taking considerable time in looking at everything. One of them opened the gas tank cover and using a flashlight and tool to insert in the gas line investigated for foreign substances.
As the first officer turned to come to where we stood, more questions are coming our way, I thought. That’s okay. I know we’re not guilty.
The second officer climbed under the van and began to bang on various parts of our vehicle.
At this point about 40 minutes had elapsed while they and the dog searched. My wife and I had been standing still just off the side of the road on a 100-degree day.
As the office approached I could see he carried a different attitude.
“What’s in your waste can in the front of the van?” he mockingly asked of my wife.
“I don’t keep record of what is in my trash,” I answered for her.
Again, looking at my wife he said, “How long has that waste been in the can?”
Stammering she responded, “uh, I don’t know exactly, maybe two gas fill-ups ago?”
He walked back to the van, reached into the front area and retrieved the small waste can located between the two front Captain Chairs. Stepping back outside, he made great show of his response. He held the can up high, looking at us, while he dropped the contents on the ground outside. He kicked and then picked through it. Finding nothing of consequence, he returned to us.
“You may go,” he said. We find no contraband.
You might think we felt relief. It wasn’t necessary to feel relief, because we knew there was nothing there to prove guilt. We were confident in our innocence.
Likewise, as far as the east is from the west, if we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, we don’t need to pick through the waste of our past sins, looking at them, wrestling with them. We are not guilty. We are innocent.
Scripture Reference: Psalm 103:12 NIV
Real Story-Missionaries to Mexico
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