Early Beginnings
By Wayne Riddering.
Perhaps some of you already know this one, but it is a story of how Mark originally decided to become a policeman.
He was about 8 or 9 years old, I guess, when we went to San Leandro for a weekend to visit our Uncle George who was a policeman. The first night he took me out to ride along. When we came home in the morning, everyone asked over breakfast, what I thought. It had been a pretty exciting ride along, but I just said it was fun.
The next night (a Saturday) was Mark’s turn. I don’t know what took place, but over breakfast on Sunday morning the same questions were asked. Mark’s only reply was “I am going to be a policeman”. We all chuckled and he persisted “I am going to be a policeman”. To this our mother said, “No, you’re not”. From that day on Mark’s resolve never wavered. His destiny was written in stone from the time he was 8 or 9 years old.
After he had been a policeman for a few years and had experienced near death several times, I asked him how he felt about the risks. He looked me straight in the eye and said, “If I die being a policeman, I’ll die happy”
Somebody has to be the police. Who better than a Christian? Jesus risked His all every day and He told us to do the same. “Greater Love has no man than this, than to lay down his life for his friends.” I don’t think I have ever met anyone who loved being a policeman so thoroughly as my brother Mark. He has given a whole new meaning to the word courage. Mark not only has done a great job in law enforcement, but he so thoroughly loved it that he made it fun and his spirit is still contagious.
I Love you Brother…. Wayne
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