Page 51 - Winterling's Chasing the Wind

Operating a weather station meant that we all worked shifts, day and night, seven days
a week. Fortunately, we worked 7 days on and 4 days off. This allowed me time to walk
to the US 82 Highway and hitchhike to Jacksonville. I got to meet many south Georgia
locals on my rides and learned about towns like Sylvester, Tyty, Tifton, Alapaha,
Willacoochee, Pearson, and Waycross. One day I rode in a car when the driver turned
to the left east of Tifton away from US 82. Knowing that this was not the way to
Waycross, I reminded him that I was going to Jacksonville. He said he was going to
Jacksonville, too. I then learned that he was going to Jacksonville, Georgia!

Getting off at midnight, I often caught rides that let me out in the dark of night at a
crossroad in the middle of nowhere. One time I heard a rustling sound in the trees
approaching me, soon to learn that it was the only the rainy remnant of an evening
thunderstorm. Most drivers in those days respected men in service uniforms because
many were veterans from World War II. But one man driving me back to the base from
Jacksonville was too friendly. He wanted me to spend the night with him in Albany. As
we neared the road leading to Turner Field, I told him to let me out there because I had
to report for duty at midnight.

Occasionally on my days off, I rode the city bus into Albany to see a movie or visit a
few stores. On Sundays when I was not working, I attended the First Baptist Church.
One summer day I went swimming at Radium Springs. The water was refreshingly
cool. Suddenly, I noticed that I was the only one in the water. I discovered that
everyone was looking at a water moccasin swimming at the far end of the spring. Wow!
I didn’t go there anymore after that experience.

One dark night around midnight in Jacksonville, I was walking down College Street by
Riverside Park. As I headed towards Dellwood Avenue, the stars in the black sky
appeared so near and bright that I felt like I could touch them. I suddenly felt the
presence of God, and I asked Him what He wanted me to do. I felt that He told me to
join the church and that I would find Him there. The next Sunday, I walked forward to
the invitation at the end of the worship service at the First Baptist Church in Albany,
Georgia. I told the pastor that I was accepting Jesus as Lord of my life. The following
Sunday I was baptized by the Pastor Dr. Leonard Stephens. Through Bible study and
attending Sunday School, I learned more about the Jesus way of living. From that day
forward, I always prayed for His will in decisions that affected my life.

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