Jim was the youngest of four brothers who served in World War II. They served in various theatres of war. Once, when Jim's unit was driving out the German forces from a French town, he noticed that his brother's unit was part of the same action. When the batttle was over, he went looking for his brother, only to be told that he was dead. Another soldier said he was not dead but wounded. They pointed to a battle scarred store front where the wounded were being tended to, and there he found his brother. He carried him out to a jeep where he would be transported to a hospital. This was just one of many episodes that Jim would face while overseas.

There are many other 'war stories' that Jim could share but the most significant life changing one is his record of how he called out to God in the midst of an ambush. God heard Jim's call and delivered him. He would be the only survivor. He shares his testimony to whoever will listen. We have an excerpt in a flash video if you click on the photo to your left. Jim would later become a "street preacher" who now freely shares what God has done. He knows he was saved for a purpose. He has a deep love for God and his desire is that others may come to know God, hopefully under different circumstances that he faced so long ago in a battlefield in Holland.

Private Jim Mercer at 18 years of age.