ASTRONAUT ALTERS LIFE THROUGH CHRIST

Astronaut Charles Duke's life once was as black as the lunar sky.

But the man from New Braunfels, Texas, said his life has been turned around thanks to Jesus Christ.

Duke talked Thursday about his life as an astronaut and a Christian at the eighth annual Mayor's Prayer Breakfast, sponsored by the Christian Business Men's Committee of Cape Girardeau. About 1,400 people turned out for the event at the Show Me Center.

Duke was one of the astronauts on the Apollo 16 journey to the moon in April 1972. He and another astronaut spent three days exploring the rugged lunar landscape.

"You know the whole purpose for going to the moon was to pick up a pile of rocks," he said. The astronauts collected more than 200 pounds of lunar rock and soil.

At that time, NASA had fewer than 50 astronauts. In all, there were nine moon missions involving 24 astronauts. Twelve of them, including Duke, walked on the moon.

To the outside world, Duke appeared to be a success, but his personal life was in turmoil.

His wife, Dotty, was on the verge of divorcing him.

A workaholic, Duke often was away from home. "I was sort of an absentee father," he said.

When he was home, he was a stern father, with an explosive temper.

"When I look back on my life now, I realize I was not a Christian," he said.

Duke and his family regularly attended church. But Duke said he only "played lip service to God." His heart was far from God.

At the time, going to the moon was the most important thing in his life.

The trip itself was spectacular, but it didn't bring him closer to God.

"I saw the circle of the Earth and it was gorgeous," he remembered. It was like a jewel, hanging in the blackness of space.

But the journey wasn't a spiritual experience for Duke.

Family life was fast reaching a crisis. Duke's wife was so depressed she thought of committing suicide.

Duke said his wife prayed for help and began "a new walk with God."

Duke, himself, retired from NASA in 1975 to enter private business in San Antonio.

In April 1978, at the age of 42 he attended a Bible study class and subsequently asked God for help in dealing with his family problems.

Duke said God answered his prayers. As a result, Duke said, his marriage and his relationship with his two sons have grown stronger over the past 17 years.

"There is power in prayer," he said.