A testimony worth reading. An example to all as a survivor and a
true man of courage. MEL GIBSON’S
TESTIMONY – A True Story by Paul Harvey You
may be surprised to learn whom this young man turned out to be.
Years ago a hardworking man took his family from New York State to
Australia to take advantage of a work opportunity there. Part of
this man’s family was a handsome young son who had aspirations of
joining the circus as a trapeze artist or an actor. This young
fellow, biding his time until a circus job or even one as a
stagehand came along, worked at the local shipyards which bordered
on the worst section of town. Walking home from work one evening
this young man was attacked by five thieves who wanted to rob him.
Instead of just giving up his money the young fellow resisted.
Unfortunately they ‘bested him’ easily and proceeded to beat him to
a pulp. They mashed his face with their boots and kicked and beat
his body brutally with clubs, leaving him for dead. When the police
found him lying in the road they assumed he was dead and called for
the Morgue Wagon. On the way to the morgue a policeman heard him
gasp for air. They immediately took him to the emergency unit at
the hospital. When he Was placed on a gurney a nurse remarked, to
her horror, that this young man no longer had a face. Each eye
socket was smashed, his skull, legs, and arms fractured, His nose
literally hanging from his face, alll his teeth were gone, and his
jaw was almost completely torn from his skull. Although his life
was spared he spent over a year in the hospital.When he finally
left, his body may have healed but his face was ‘disgusting’ to
look at. He was no longer the handsome youth whom everyone admired.
When the young man started to look for work again he was turned
down by everyone just on account of the way he looked. One
potential employer suggested to him that he join the freak show at
the circus as The Man Who Had No Face. And he did this for a while.
He was still rejected by everyone and no one wanted to be seen in
his company. He had thoughts of suicide. This went on for five
years (‘Oh, can you imagine his heartache and
despair?’
One day
he passed a church and sought some solace there. Entering the
church he encountered a priest who had seen him sobbing while
kneeling in a pew. The priest took pity on him and took him to the
rectory where they talked at length. The priest was impressed with
him to such a degree that he said that he would do everything
possible for him that could be done to restore his dignity and
life, if the young man would promise to be the best Catholic he
could be and trust in God’s mercy to free him from his torturous
life. The young man went to mass and communion every day, and after
thanking God for saving his life, asked God to give him peace of
mind and the grace to be the best man he could ever be in His eyes.
The priest, through his personal contacts, was able to secure the
services of the best plastic surgeon in Australia. There would be
no cost to the young man, as the doctor was the priest’s best
friend. The doctor too was so impressed by the young man, whose
outlook now on life, even though he had experienced the worst, was
filled with good humor and love. The surgery was a miraculous
success. All the best dental work was also done for him. The young
man became everything he promised God he would be. He was also
blessed with a wonderful, beautiful wife, and many children, and
success in an industry which would have been the furthest thing
from his mind as a career if not for the goodness of God and the
love of the people who cared for him. This he acknowledges
publicly. Who was this man? Mel Gibson. His life was the
inspiration for his production of the movie “The Man Without A
Face”. He is to be admired by all of us as a God fearing man, a
political conservative, and an example to all as a survivor and a
true man of courage. And to think I admired him before I knew any
of this! He is quite a man! – Paul Harvey “The Passion of the
Christ”, produced and funded by Mel Gibson will be released into
theatres on February 25th, Ash Wednesday. This movie on the final
12 hours of Christ’s life is based on the Bible and is a
TRUE accounting according to God’s Word from
Jesus’ close friend and disciple. Billy Graham calls it the most
important movie ever…..it opens in The US on Ash Wednesday. Please
pray for Mel Gibson, his family and Anyone associated with this
life-changing film. He has been receiving many death threats. While
the movie was being filmed on location, there were actual Physical
healings of workers and many came to believe and accept Christ as
their Savior. Mel Gibson shared this information when he recently
visited Saddleback Church in Irvine. Please note that the movie is
rated ‘R’ due to the violence that Jesus actually suffered. It was
not the Jews who were ultimately responsible for Jesus’ horrible,
sad, heart-wrenching death; it was my and your sin. “What the enemy
meant for evil (to kill/destroy Mel Gibson when he was a young
man), GOD turned into GOOD!’ as He always does when we seek Him and when we
make Him Lord of our lives as Mel Gibson has.
