Three Crosses

There are three crosses on the hillside, above a pond, with crops of soybeans or corn in the background, and the rising sun if you should pass by early in the morning. They're right at, exactly, Mile Marker 76 on Highway 218, going north to Iowa City. It's a mile or so north of the Highland School turnoff.

Ginnie and I cross ourselves when we pass by the three crosses. Over the course of the last nearly two years, with our many trips to the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, for both Ginnie and I, or to visit a hospitalized friend, we have pulled over to the side of the highway beside the crosses and prayed. We recite the 23rd Psalm for healing. Over these last two years, I have been treated for and recovered from cancer, colitis caused by the cancer treatment, bilateral pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in both lungs), heart attack, and now neuropathy. Ginnie had a hysterectomy.

It's one of the reasons the owners of the land, Oscar and Wynne Steele, now age 92 and 90 respectively, had the crosses erected, so people on their way to the hospital in Iowa City would have a place to pull over and pray. More importantly, the three crosses represent the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the middle cross, with the two thieves on either side. Over the years passersby have stopped and talked to the Steeles and inquired about the crosses. The Steeles use it as an opportunity to share the story of the Crucifixion and how Jesus Christ died for our sins. They are amazed at the number of people who have never heard this story.

No, the three crosses do not represent the place where an auto accident occurred and three people died.

The three crosses that are there now are actually the second set of crosses. The first set was erected in 1994 by the Steele's children. Oscar and Wynne Steele had traveled to North Carolina to visit their son. On their way through the Appalachian Mountains at night, their car headlights flashed on three crosses mounted on the side of a mountain. The sight sparked a conversation with their son. Their son suggested that three crosses could be erected on the Steele Farm beside the four lane Highway 218 that was under construction.

The kids went to work and cut Black Locust trees from the Steele's timber and mounted the crosses for Easter. After Easter they took the crosses down. The following year they did the same thing. On the third year they decided to leave the crosses up through Lent and Pentecost. Following Pentecost they were going to take the crosses down, but it was raining. God spoke to Oscar and told him to leave the crosses up. Oscar obeyed.

After a number of years, the crosses rotted away and fell over. Oscar and Wynne's kids cut three more crosses of Black Locust from the timber and mounted them. The crosses are still standing today, but are showing signs of decay. Note: Black Locust trees have inches long thorns, perhaps symbolic of the Crown of Thorns placed on Jesus' head. The Steele children had to be careful of the thorns while building the crosses, and were barbed a few too many times, a reminder of the pain Jesus suffered.

The story of the three crosses on Steele's property are more about what feeling they create in passersby, and how the crosses affect peoples' lives. In Ginnie's and my case the crosses have promoted healing for both us and others,

With Easter approaching, as you pass by the three crosses, whatever your feelings, the three crosses represent the Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ who died so that we all can be free of sin and forgiven.

Have a good story? Call or text Curt Swarm in Mt. Pleasant at 319-217-0526 or email him at curtswarm@yahoo.com. Curt is available for public speaking.