The auto industry was a beacon of hope to George Carpenter and his parents when he was growing up in Wayne, Mich. during the 1930s. His father worked as a farmer as well as for Ford and General Motors in an attempt to provide for the family.

The Carpenter family was divided religiously. Carpenter’s mother was a Christian and frequently took her children to church. His father however, didn’t become a Christian until Carpenter was a teenager. When carpenter was 16, he too became a Christian during a revival meeting and has made church life a priority ever since.

After graduating high-school Carpenter was drafted to serve in World War Two. His entrance exam showed eligibility to serve in the Air Force and he began the two-year process of training as a pilot. Carpenter lost several colleagues during training, and he was glad the war ended before he saw action overseas.

Carpenter is unhappy with the way contemporary society views relationships and marriage. He believes it’s important to marry soon after the relationship begins and he’s bothered by the number of divorces in the U.S. today.

“People have taken away from the sacredness of [marriage],” he said.

Mary Jane Havens spent her childhood years on a farm in Litchfield, Mich. Her main responsibility was to separate the milk from the cream and prepare it for sale. However, farm life involves a lot of responsibility. She also helped with planting, harvest, meal preparation and taking care of her siblings.

Her local community was made up almost entirely of Christians and she remembers a higher moral standard and a greater respect for the Bible than what she sees in society today.

The small community meant relationships with neighbors were very close. It was one particular friendship, tutoring a neighbor girl who struggled with her homework, which led to her career as a schoolteacher. She enjoys helping people understand difficult concepts.

Havens’ biggest lament about modern society is its self-focus. She feels like the current generation spends far too much time worrying about their own needs and very little thinking about others.

Hardship was no stranger to Dave Burns and his family in the 1940s when he was growing up in rural Jonesville, Mich. Because of the depression, his father had difficulty finding work. He remembers how hard it was for his parents when the family was forced to move from their own home to an Uncle’s basement. Still, due to the diligence of his parents, Burns never went hungry.

The great advances in technology especially stand out to Burns. His grandfather’s mode of transportation was a horse and wagon. Going from this experience, to witnessing a lunar landing has been amazing and even shocking for Burns.

Burns reflected the feeling that our culture itself was more relationship-oriented when he was younger. He remembered always receiving a phone call or a visit if he wasn’t able to attend church as well as frequent visits from friends, just to chat.

This cultural change becomes even harder for him as his friends grow old and pass away. He takes solace in his faith, however, looking forward to seeing them again. He has been a Christian since he was in his twenties and considers trusting God to be essential.

“The dread and fear of that last step is not there,” he said.