The Sunday Bus

As a six-year-old boy I was reached by the bus ministry of First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana. Also, while I attended Hyles-Anderson College I served on a bus route on the North side of Chicago in our church's bus ministry. Much of my life has involved the bus ministry in some fashion.

A story that is my favorite now, but wasn't many years ago, involves a zealous and faithful bus captain who was committed to making sure “his bus kids” never missed a Sunday. The bus captain's name was Brother Lyle Dye. “Brother Lyle” as we affectionately called him was a Hyles-Anderson student who spent his weekends trying to change the lives of little bus kids like me.

My brother Albert and I were faithful riders on bus route 111 on the south side of Chicago. I started coming to church on this bus route at the age of six for “Horseback Riding Sunday” promotion; for the next two years, I don't think I missed one Sunday.

Albert and I were the bus workers' favorites -- they loved us! These college students often gave us their sack lunches on Sunday afternoon, sat with us on the bus, and just went out of their way to let us know we were loved.

Things were fine on the ranch until this little dude (that's me) got bit with a bug -- the baseball bug that is. Every kid in our neighborhood looked forward to spring for two reasons: one, we were that much closer to the school year's ending; two, baseball. I was pumped. This was my first year playing in the Little League, and I couldn't wait.

Two weeks before the season started, we were handed our uniforms and the season schedule. To a little guy of seven years old, the smell and look of the brand new uniform was overwhelming. I went straight to try on the uniform. I can still remember my proud look as I stared at this fierce new competitor about to make his mark on the Little League.

After trying on the uniform, I looked at the schedule. I was on the Orioles! This season we would be playing the Yankees, the Dodgers, the Braves, the Cubs, and the Mets. Awwwwwwwesome! After coming to my senses, I looked and saw a problem with the schedule. My first game was on Sunday--big problem!

The problem stared me right in the eye, and I came up with a plan. I would not mention this to Brother Lyle because he might get in the way of my debut. My brother and I would sneak out early on Sunday morning and go to the park before the bus came.

Opening day arrived, and it was time for the plan to go into action. I woke up early on Sunday morning and got my brother out of bed. Like two desperate criminals trying to flee the scene before the cops came, we dressed ourselves with the hopes of escaping before the dreaded “bus captain” could ruin our plans. We dressed, grabbed our baseball gloves, and ran into my parents' bedroom to tell them we were off to our first baseball game. In their grogginess it would be hours before they realized we did not go to church.

My brother and I ran at full speed to the park, looking around every corner for the sign of a bus. Getting caught might mean no opening day. We finally made it to the park where a few kids had arrived early to get ready for their games. Thinking we had escaped, we joined in the warm-ups.

Meanwhile, back at our house, Brother Lyle arrived to pick us up for church. He realized something was odd because usually we would run out to the bus as soon as we heard the noise of the big vehicle pulling up; but today there was no sign of Danny and Albert. He got off the bus and knocked on the door--still no response. The persistent bus captain kept knocking until he woke my mother from her sleep.

Brother Lyle said, “Where are Danny and Albert?”

My mother replied, “I'm sorry Brother Lyle, but I think those boys went to their first baseball game today.”

Brother Lyle told my mother, “You know those boys need to be in church. Do you want them to grow up and get in trouble or be in the gangs?”

Mom said, “Of course not!”

Then Brother Lyle said, “Do you give me permission to go to the park and get those boys?”

Mom said, “Yes.” That was all he needed to hear.

I was in the midst of enjoying my first career baseball game. In right field I was focused on the batter when all of a sudden the sum of my fears was realized. A yellow bus had pulled up to the park, and who came running off -- none other than Brother Lyle.

He walked on to the baseball diamond and said, “Danny, you know you are supposed to be in church! Your mom has given me permission to take you and Albert to Sunday school.” He explained to the coach what was going on and reluctantly my coach let him take my brother and me to church.

The bus was running late so we didn't have enough time to go home and change. What a double embarrassment--getting hauled off the baseball diamond by the “church guy” and being forced to be at church wearing your baseball uniform. Every kid at church that day seemed to look at my brother and me. We felt like such idiots. The day fortunately came to a close.

I was mad at Brother Lyle for several weeks. He just kept saying, “one day you'll thank me.” That day has come on several occasions. I don't know how many times I've thanked Brother Lyle for making us come to church that day. He taught me a very great lesson -- the importance of God over anything else.

I've often wondered if missing that one Sunday would have started me on a path away from the Lord. God has been so good to me these years because of faithful bus workers like Brother Lyle.

Just about once a year I am able to go to the church that Brother Lyle, now Pastor Dye, pastors and preach for him. It is a great joy to sit on the platform with my former bus captain who made a big difference in my life.

The baseball story is not the only crazy story I have about Brother Lyle, but we'll leave that for another day. Maybe the Lord can use you to keep a bus kid from choosing baseball over Him! Go make a difference!