Bluebird Meadows of Stevensville, Michigan

Adam could hear a word every now and then, but nothing made much sense. Then one of the teenagers waded out to the adult. The adult said some more words and then took a double handful of water and dropped it on the head of the young girl. The adult said some more words and the girl returned to the beach. There the others seemed to congratulate her and Adam could now see some adults were sitting on picnic tables just off the beach. The girl walked over to one of the tables and grabbed a towel as a second girl waded out in the water to the adult. One of the adults at the tables had a camcorder and was recording the proceedings.

For reasons Adam couldn’t understand, he was drawn to the proceedings. Soon he found himself at the water’s edge.

"Who’s the derelict?" asked one of the boys from the group of teenagers who had yet to make the trip into the water.

Adam paused for a moment. The word ‘derelict’ was one that seemed strange being used to describe him, but as he slowly examined his clothes, he could see they were a muddy mess. He reached for his chin and removed a clump of mud from his neatly trimmed beard. No, this didn’t seem right - and yet it didn’t seem to matter, either. Adam waded out in the water just as a third girl was completing her ceremony.

"Sir, these proceedings are not open to the public" said the young man who had just sent the girl to the beach.

"I have come - please give me life" said Adam although he wasn’t sure what his words meant or where they came from.

"I’m sorry, sir" replied the pastor, "but this is part of my church’s baptism class."

Adam looked the pastor directly in the eye and said "I come as a child of God. I need to be born again."