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Flip, Rusty, and Curtis Arrested in Mesquite, Nevada
April 1, 2004
By Kristene O'Dell

The “Walk” team is in Mesquite, NV which is on the border of Utah. After speaking with them this morning, it looked as though it would be an uneventful day. Mercy, the donkey, needs to be put up for about four days to rest. She is limping a bit because of all the walking. Flip noted that maybe they were walking through a place where Judgment needed to be displayed. Mesquite, NV is a Mormon town and they will be crossing the Utah border this evening.

Dorrie and I took our children to lunch thinking we were on top of things for the day. When we returned, we had a message from Gib: Flip, Rusty, and Curtis have all been arrested! That’s all we know at this time – there were no warnings and we don’t even know the charges!

We do not know any attorneys in Nevada so I went to work trying to reach attorney Rick Nelson in Florida. I kept thinking that from my perspective in the office, this “Walk” is similar to when Flip was in jail in Lynchburg, Virginia, and every day some new crisis always arose. He was in jail. We were served with FACE papers in WashingtonDC. Our lease was up at the office and we were being forced out. And…we were being called to testify in the RICO trial in Chicago. There is not an instruction manual on how to deal with any of this! The “Walk” is very similar!

Not long after speaking with Faye Benham and Liz Thomas, the phone rang again. This time it was Flip and Rusty. They were free! The whole ordeal had taken only about 45 minutes! Let me tell you, that never happens with us. Once they get us, they hold us! Below is Flip’s account of the day:

We knew we were leaving Nevada today, so we spent the day preaching outside the hotels and casinos in Mesquite, NV. We made our way to City Hall and excoriated them, over our sound system, asking how they could erect such a beautiful city building at the expense of others. The casino industry may bring in revenue for the city, but it leaves broken lives strewn about in its wake.

At that point, they told me I had been warned and hand-cuffed me (Flip). I responded with, “You have never warned me.” I handed the microphone to Rusty and his words were, “Now, city officials, you have been warned!” Rusty was cuffed at that point. Curtis began to sound the shofar. He too was hauled in along with us. Johnny Benham (Flip’s 12 year old son) was left holding the Ten Commandments and the reigns attached to Justice. (When I picture that, I have to laugh!)

Once inside, we were allowed to speak with the City Attorney. Something very surprising happened. After speaking between themselves a bit, the City Attorney told us that he would give each of us a $250.00 citation and release us if we agreed to leave Mesquite, NV. Hearing that, we asked him if he would just let us go without the citations. We told him our word was good and that if he issued us citations, we would pay them. He looked us in the eyes and said, “Assure me that you are leaving this city immediately!” We said we would. His response, “Just go! Go on to the next town!”

The favor of God was so evident in that meeting with the City Attorney! That never happens to us. We always go to jail! We know it was God’s hand at work and we give all the praise to Him! We found out when we rejoined our team that Patsy Hewitt, along with Shekinah and Destiny Thomas, immediately began to pray as we were arrested. 30 seconds after they finished praying, we were released!

The city officials ended up being very kind to us (since, of course, we were leaving their city). We were laughing as we recalled the conversation. It was pretty much, preach your message all you want as long as it is not here – not now, not ever! We were reminded of the scripture that says , “When you are persecuted in one city, flee to the next.” So, here we go – fleeing to the next! But we know that God is going before us. He has gone before us every step of the way on this “Walk.” Thank you, Jesus!

Please continue to pray for the “Walk” team. They are now entering Mormon country. You know this message will be stirring up a hornets nest. But…being stirred by the True Lord of Lords and King of Kings is just what is needed!

 

04/02/2004  WAA Report in Utah now, by Brenda Spurlock

04/01/2004  Flip, Rusty and Curtis Arrested in Mesquite, Nevada

03/31/2004  WAA Report from Nevada Desert, Brenda

03/27/2004  WAA Report from Las Vegas, Brenda Spurlock

03/23/2004  Gambling on Our Future, Kristene, Brenda & Liz

03/22/2004  WAA Report from Needles, CA

03/19/2004  Walk Across America, Twentynine Palms, CA

03/17/2004  Walk Across America Report, Yucca Valley

03/16/2004  Walk Across America (WAA) Report

03/15/2004  Judgment the Horse Becomes Judgment the Beatuiful

03/13/2004  Report from Liz Thomas; "Riding through the desert on a horse with no name."

03/10/2004  Flip speaks from the outskirts of San Bernadino, CA

03/09/2004  Flip speaks with Brenda from Rancho Cucamonga, CA

03/06/2004  God Uses Dumb Animals to us Straight

03/01/2004  Rusty reports from San Juan Capistrano, CA

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