SPUTNIK

We went to a small Bible church for a few years when I was 5 or 6 and until I was 8. We left the larger denominational church because mom had been sick and Dad thought that a smaller church might we good for her. She really loved the Bible church, and I am pretty sure she loved the pastor, or at least had a huge crush. I kind of even knew that then.

For whatever reason one weekend in early October , the women and children from that church went to camp. It was a nice camp, although rustic. I remember the women working hard to prepare meals. There were Bible studies and the children ran and played some each afternoon. I don't remember if my mom took all 5 of us with her to camp, or if the older two resisted. My baby brother wasn't born yet.

What I do remember is Sputnik. At Camp Good News there were no street lights or ambient lights from civilization; the sky was very, very dark as Sputnik drifted overhead. They were Russians, but it was still cool. We were afraid of the Russians and Communism. They were out to get us. They were godless and militant. God would deliver us from the Russians. But, they beat the U.S. to space and set the level on the limbo stick for the space race that followed.