David Buckingham

We never know when in our lives we will meet someone who will change us forever. In 2002 my dad took a sabbatical in Cambridge, England for six months and it was there, while I was in the middle of a playground, I met Mr. Buckingham. David Buckingham, a major in the Army Rangers, was in England for a military exchange program. Through a series of unusual events instead of doing military work he ended up studying for a Masters degree in International Affairs at Cambridge. Our families immediately formed a strong friendship and soon after Mr. Buckingham captured my admiration. He became a hero to me because of his unyielding faith and dynamic leadership as I observed him through the good and bad times of his life.

Mr. Buckingham’s faith in God is the most important part of his life. While in Cambridge, I saw his faith by his frequent talk about his walk with God, his devotion to studying the Bible in small groups, and the times he lead our families in worship together. Though it may seem easy to lead a solid Christian life during good times, the true test of our walk with God comes during the hard times. Two years after our time together in Cambridge, his wife was diagnosed with an advanced form of cancer and was given a very short life expectancy. Instead of blaming God or doubting his faith, Mr. Buckingham grew closer to God and embraced His promises. He sincerely trusted God and believed that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. Mr. Buckingham’s desire was to glorify God through the situation. He relied on the power of prayer and as it turned out God miraculously healed Mrs. Buckingham. However, had God not healed her, Mr. Buckingham would have remained firm in his faith.

One of the first characteristics I noticed in Mr. Buckingham was his natural ability to lead. As a young child I admired his great physical strength and enthusiastic personality. I wanted to follow him because his confident and encouraging attitude made me feel secure. Being a leader during good times looks exciting. However, I learned that leading in difficult times often means giving up your priorities and dreams for the benefit of others, or being a servant leader. When Mr. Buckingham learned that his wife had cancer, he gave up the job of a life time to lead his family through the anguishing battle ahead. Although Mr. Buckingham had already gained my esteem during the good times in England, watching him walk through one of the toughest trials of his life solidified him in my mind as a true hero. His tremendous faith in God and leadership has challenged me to take my walk with God to higher levels.