By Mike Sawyer

Wakening up before daylight on Monday November 20, 1989, a fear was on me before I could open my eyes. I wanted to stay at home in the security arms of my complacent world. Inspiration was pushing me out my door and away from my family. For the first time in my life I thought that I might not come back alive. Without God’s help I would not had the courage to endure the fears.

My work was a special project that I thought of weeks before. After learning that Kentucky has an annual tobacco auction which starts right before Thanksgiving, I felt led to peacefully deliver a public message that would be spoken from a sign that would be held above my head. This sign had only two words centered in a big heart and stated "TOBACCO KILLS" A co-student from the seminary graphics department designed and blessed the project with this sign.

After much thought and prayer I was led to South Broadway Street, Lexington, Kentucky. This 6 ½ hours of peaceful public witness started at 7:45 a.m., Monday, November 20, 1989, in front of three tobacco warehouses.

Except for the protecting presence of God I was right by myself. This project could and does warrant a corporate body but I did not feel inspired to seek anyone else to assist. I must say after sharing this story before a group in seminary that two Christian men have offered to help if any other witnessing takes place. Amen!

The most important goal of this project was to bring home to the farmer the reality of tobacco. It seems that Kentucky has a routine feeling toward this killer product that murders so many per year. The message had no room for kindness or grace it had to grind in the unwanted truth.

As servant liberator it was and is my responsibility to represent God even though this sign instantly boiled the majority of the tobacco related people. That was manifested with, a tobacco warehouse business man not shaking my outreached hand and then asking me not to stand in front of his property, more than 75 obscene finger gestures, a coffee can thrown at me from a passing pick-up truck, a railroad rock flying by me from the men inside the tobacco warehouse, the barking warehouse dogs, and finally the two tobacco related drunks that warned me my life was going to be taken if I stayed around much longer. This was God's liberating message the farmer could accept it or reject it, I was personally applying no pressure.

I can report there were many friendly horns, waves, smiles, thumbs-up, yells, and smiles reflecting very positive encouragement and support as my body was freezing from the cold winds.

I also felt a high charge when a man about 38 years old parked his vehicle and walked up to me and asked, if I could help break his 20-year-old smoking habit. He was so sincere and said "I just thought you could help, I've been to a hypnotist and that only lasted for six months." I shared with him that God did not deliver me from smoking but He did liberate me from some other unhealthy habits.

This sidewalk position opened the doors to speak with several of the farmer that I felt were very earnest in their conversation with me. They respected my convictions.

The weakness of this effort was it was very dangerous. Just the day before a man in Hart County, Kentucky tried to run over me with his 60 m.p.h., pick-up truck, as I walked a county highway with this same sign.

The strengths were it convicted (I believe) many tobacco farmers by the unpleasant and unpopular truth it was expressing. I also made a special effort to show it to all the school buses that passed by. And not only did it cover the producer but also the vendor and user. It got the attention of the local radio station and the largest newspaper in the state. The largest newspaper in Kentucky, The Courier-Journal had a photographer Mr. Stuart Bowman stop by and take my picture. Mr. Bowman shared with me that his dad was dying with emphysema. Mr. Bowman said," I believe this is the first public protest against tobacco in Kentucky.”

I cannot really give any degree of justice and reconciliation, except the farmers may be out and away from justice by continuing to profit from such an ungodly product.

I felt that I was addressing the root of the problem not approaching it through a law making body. That would be force and God is not a forcing God. Today the tobacco companies are short of tobacco and wanting more produced for many reasons. By cutting it off at the root this would be the greatest attack.

It is hard for me to say that this project offered a holistic view of the ministry. I did think that the day on South Broadway that it would have been impossible for a blind person to catch my message.

I cannot really say that my activity empowered anyone except me. I would imitate the whole program again if God leads me to do so. I cannot think of any revisions at this time.

Written November 1989