One day he and I were talking and he mentioned his son had killed his first deer. It was a nice eight point buck, and boy!, was there a proud father. I asked him who had taught the boy the way of hunting and use and safety of rifles. Proud as a peacock, he stuck out his chest and said he had taught him. I asked if he had made sure the boy never pointed the rifle at someone-he said he had. I asked if he had made sure the boy never shot bushes, thinking there might be a deer behind them-he said he had. I asked him if he insisted the boy wear hunter's orange at all time-he said he had. Then I asked him if he had taught him what to do if he got separated from his group, disoriented and lost-he said he had not.
We talked further about how it felt to be lost and alone in the woods. How helpless it felt not knowing how to return to the camp or vehicle. I asked if the boy carried matches, a first aid kit, a water bottle and water treatment pills, a knife and maybe a small light plastic tarp. The boy carried none of these for he had not been shown what to do if lost in the woods. As we talked the father began to promise he would correct this oversight. He had no desire of his son getting lost, but even worse, getting lost and not knowing what to do so others could find him safe and to keep from being so frighten.
I then asked him if his boy knew how to go to heaven. I explained to him that if the boy was lost spiritually, and knew not the way to salvation it would be even worst than just being lost in the woods. He admitted he had never talked to his son about his soul being lost. He promise to correct this oversight.
Now this man has his priorities straight.
