It was a very cold day when my ten-year-old grandson wanted me to go with him to the coal-mine strip pit. A young hunter, he was eager to see if there were any ducks on the abandoned pit that is now filled with water.

We got into warm clothes and went to the strip pit. The entire pit, which covers a very large area, was frozen over except for where the ducks were. We went to the far side where the ducks were and they flew off to the other end, about a quarter-mile away.

I told my grandson I would go to the other end and scare the ducks and maybe they would come back to the open water close enough to us so that he could shoot one. I situated him under some cedar trees out of the sight of the ducks and went to where the ducks were. Sure enough, they took off for where my grandson was hiding and soon I heard him shoot.

Before I could get back to him, he came running to meet me and said he had shot one but it had gone up the bank into some weeds. So we searched for the wounded duck in the weeds.

My search took me at one point over a small hill not more than 20 or 30 yards from the water. It was then I realized that I was out of sight of my grandson, so I stepped back over the hill to look for him.

I couldn't see him anywhere. He had only been out of my sight for less than three or four minutes, but he was gone. From where I stood, I could see from one end of the strip to the other. My grandson was not to be found.

I called his name, but got no answer. I called louder and still no answer. I called as loud as I could. Nothing.

I cannot describe the feeling that came over me. All around there was complete silence.

I ran to the edge of the water to see if it was muddy where he might have fallen in. I said with all my heart, "No, God. Please." Some years ago, a teenaged girl had drowned in this pit.

The water was clear. I looked up and coming around the end of the strip pit I saw the answer to my prayer. Sticking up out of the weeds as he was heading toward me was the barrel of my grandson's gun. It was all of him I could see. But it was enough.

I asked him how he got away so fast. "Did you run?" He said he didn't. Then I asked him if he had heard me call and he said he hadn't.

I know without a doubt that God was with us. He protected my grandson from the dangers around him and gave him a safe return.

Jerry H.

Heavener, OK