December 3, 2001

Abilene ministry reunites Australian family
___By Roy Jones II
___Special to the Standard
___ABILENE--How do you help a "prodigal son" go home if the young man isn't sure where home is?
___That was the dilemma facing David Leyerle Nov. 6 when a young, apparently Asian man came to First Baptist Church's City Light Community Ministries Building and asked for help in finding his "Mum and Dad." Leyerle is founding minister of the outreach ministry in a downtown Abilene office building.
___Obviously confused, the man could relate only his name, James Mook; his birthday, June 22, 1976; and that he was from Melbourne, Australia. He wasn't sure where he was, but he knew he had been living on the streets for some time and wanted to go home.
___Leyerle wanted to help, but he wasn't sure how to help. However, during a week of providing food and shelter, he was able to coax a phone number out of the pleasant young man. For several days, there was no answer at the number, but Leyerle refused to give up.
___Eventually, Leyerle got an answer. James' father tearfully identified James and thanked Leyerle profusely for calling him. He said James, a third-year college engineering student, apparently had gone into deep depression after breaking up with his girlfriend and had not been heard from since pursuing her to Japan May 22. James' mother would leave immediately for Abilene, he said.
___"Then the miracles really starting happening," Leyerle said. He learned James would have to appear in person at an Australian consulate to obtain a new passport before he could go home.
___"I think it is more than a coincidence that one of the two consulates is in Houston and that my cousin from Louisville (Ky.) was planning to come here for a visit, then go to Houston to see my daughter," Leyerle said.
___But on the day the cousin had to leave for Houston, James' mother had not arrived, or so Leyerle thought. A check with the Abilene airport showed a passenger from Melbourne had arrived late the night before. Leyerle correctly assumed she was exhausted from the trip and had checked into a hotel to sleep.
___But which hotel? There are dozens in Abilene, and time was running out.
___"I just prayed again, and God directed me to the Quality Inn," Leyerle said emotionally. "Of all the motels in Abilene, of course it was the right one. We hugged like old friends, then I took her to see James immediately."
___"She ran to him and just cried and hugged him and hugged him," Leyerle said. "James was still confused, but I know that in his own way he was glad to be in his mother's arms."
___The woman explained that she and her husband, both architects, had relocated to Melbourne from their native Malaysia 12 years ago, and that James had gone to college in Kansas City for three years. After evaluation in a Houston hospital, James was allowed to fly home with his mother.
___"Just knowing that family was together again on Thanksgiving Day made it the best Thanksgiving ever for me, too," Leyerle said.

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