Our little ship dropped anchor Sunday morning, July 31, 1949, at about nine o'clock, in a cove at a small island within the Caroline group, in the central Pacific. We had on board a Roman Catholic priest who held services as soon as the ship was secure.

I had heard about this beautiful garden island, and knew that there was many wild pigs, something like our western javelin, living in the jungles. The natives hunted these pigs for food. I determined that I should try my luck.

I talked to my shipmates and recruited three young sailors and the priest to accompany me on a wild pig hunt. Two native fellows agreed to go with us also. The ship's cook made sandwiches and filled a thermos with red cool-ade for us to take with us.

The seven of us walked the hills through what I believe was one of the most beautiful gardens in the world, and took two small pigs. We sat down beneath a tree to take refreshment and talk. Since there was only one sailor and the priest who were Catholic, we talked about our homes and the loved ones there. The two native boys were members of the local Mission Church, supported by the American Mission Union. One of the fellow sailors was from Main, and was Anglican. The other two sailors were from California and were members of different denominations. I, of course, was raised as a Southern Baptist.

When it was my turn to tell about my life, I told the others that if I were home, that Sunday, being the fifth Sunday of the month, we would have Communion in our little church.

The priest said, "Why don't we celebrate communion right here? We can use the bread crust from the sandwiches as the body of Christ, and the cool-ade as His blood. After all, we all believe in Christ as the Son of God, and our Savior."

Odd that I, a Southern Baptist, should enter into such a thing with a Roman Catholic priest. Such a thing would be frowned upon by most folks in my home town. But, after all, communion is between a person and his God. It has nothing to do with churches, denominations, or any other people.

We agreed and each of us partook of His flesh and blood, and together we prayed. I was never closer to God!

- - - Tom Nance