The Empty Seat in the Middle of the Front Row, by Scipio

I was at the missionary training center for three days for training before we departed to our respective countries. Every morning I was one of the first people in the assembly building. We met every morning to worship God, hear words of exhortation, and instructions for training events of the day. We returned each afternoon for worship and instructions for the next day. We did this routine daily for three days.

I was an adult advisor/chaperone with an organization that took young people from throughout the United States and Canada on summer missionary trips to locations around the world. I happened to be going with a team going to Australia. Each team sat together daily in their mission country designated area in the auditorium.

The seating arrangements were done roughly alphabetically, and there were three sections in the auditorium. Australia’s seating was up front in the left section, Africa was upfront in the middle section, and Belgium was up front in the right section.

The first day I noticed that there was an empty chair in the middle of the front row that had a sign on it, “reserved”. I thought perhaps it was for someone directing the music or lighting. But I noticed after the first day no one ever sat there. I didn’t think anything about it but the next day the same thing happened, no one sat in that seat.

On the third day I noticed the seat was still empty as we started our final meeting and day of preparation. But on this day the mission leader started with reading from a diary, not the Bible.  It was the diary of Rachel Joy Scott, one of the teens murdered in the Columbine High School mass shooting six weeks earlier.

Rachel was an outstanding young woman who shared her faith in Christ to her fellow students and friends. When Dillon Klebold and Eric Harris started their killing spree, they came upon Rachel outside the school and first shot and wounded her and then asked her did she still believed in God. She said she did, and they shot again and killed her. Columbine was headline shocking national news April 20, 1999. Rachel was the first casualty.

On this day at the mission camp, before the group leader read from Rachel’s diary, he told us that Rachel’s father, Darrell, wanted us to hear Rachel speak for herself. He wanted us to know what was really at stake with us as we fanned out across the globe the next day.

The entry read to us was written just several days before Rachel was killed. She stated, “I am not going to apologize for speaking the name of Jesus…If I have to sacrifice everything…I will”. She told her friends earlier she was excited to go to Africa and share her faith. By the time that diary’s first sentence was read most present had tears streaming down their cheeks.  By the time the reading of the diary was complete there wasn’t a dry eye in the place with many people loudly weeping.

Instead of going to Africa that summer Rachel went to Heaven to be with Her Savior.

I later realized that I might have met Rachel if Columbine had not happened.  Perhaps she would have been one of the young girls that I met there that summer. Outwardly she would’ve probably been indistinguishable from the other young ladies. If so, I would’ve never known that I had met a future martyr disguised as a teenager.

I almost met Rachel. At least I know where her seat was in the middle of front row in the Africa section. Sometimes I think that perhaps that seat was not really empty but an angel was doing a sit in for Rachel.

In memory of Rachel Joy Scott (August 5, 1981 – April 20, 1999)

For more on Rachel’s life read the book published in 2000, “Rachel’s Tears: The Spiritual Journey of a Columbine Martyr” or watch the 2016 movie release, “I Am Not Ashamed”.

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About the Author: Patriotman

Patriotman currently ekes out a survivalist lifestyle in a suburban northeastern state as best as he can. He has varied experience in political science, public policy, biological sciences, and higher education. Proudly Catholic and an Eagle Scout, he has no military experience and thus offers a relatable perspective for the average suburban prepper who is preparing for troubled times on the horizon with less than ideal teams and in less than ideal locations. Brushbeater Store Page: http://bit.ly/BrushbeaterStore

5 Comments

  1. Umbra February 6, 2022 at 09:09

    Thanks for posting this. The movie appears to be a free rent on Prime. watch the 2016 movie release, “I Am Not Ashamed”.

  2. Dan Oster February 6, 2022 at 09:29

    Thank you for sharing this. If the writer of Hebrews were writing today it seems reasonable to imagine her name and actions being listed in chapter eleven. May the Lord keep lit the fires of righteous courage in each of his saints to never deny the name of Him who set us free.

  3. Rooster February 6, 2022 at 13:28

    May we all have her courage, and that of those like her, when our time comes. There is no fear for those the know the Lord and her voracious tenacity should inspire us all. God Bless Rachel!
    R

  4. Dana Henry February 7, 2022 at 09:43

    Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

  5. Chef February 7, 2022 at 20:49

    It made me remember the video of the men and women led onto the beach by ISIL rats to have their throats cut. I don’t know if you can still find it online. I think it was taken in Libya. The looks in their eyes are something you will never forget. They never once faltered in their faith in Jesus and would not renounce Jesus as Lord. Just like Rachel, they are true Christian Martyrs
    May God grant all Partisans the same strength in the face of death.

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