His name was Leslie and he began his life unwanted by his mother. His mother put him up for adoption immediately after birth and he came into the world with a number of physical disabilities. Not only was Leslie born brain damaged, but weeks after his premature birth, the doctors had to surgically remove both eyes.

The county agency had contacted a nurse, Mrs. May Lemke, and asked if she would be willing to take personal guardianship of Leslie. May had already raised five of her own children, but nevertheless, in spite of all the difficulties involved in taking care of such a handicapped infant, she, at the age of 52, along with her husband Joe, said "yes."

May had to teach Leslie how to eat, walk, and communicate. After teaching him to swallow, May took on the daunting task of teaching him to walk. May would strap Leslie's legs on hers and attempt to help her new son to grasp the idea, having never been able to see it. Over years, Leslie learned how to eat, how to walk, and yes, even how to talk. Incredibly, Leslie's new mom even cultivated into Leslie an interest in music. The eventual truth was that she unknowingly amplified an invisible delight in music that was garrisoned from the damages done at birth. Despite the effects of cerebral palsy on his hands, May would place her son's fingers on her hands and play the piano. Leslie felt and followed the movements and listened to the 88 sounds. Leslie became so interested in music and could even be found at times lying under the bed seeking to play the bed springs.

Leslie was also observed to be marked by an amazing ability to recall conversations from the previous day, virtually repeating them word for word, with even the vocal expressions of the participants.

One night subsequent to May, Joe and Leslie watching an evening movie, after all had retired, during the early morning hours, May was wakened by what she thought was the sound of a television left on. After discovering that the television was turned off, she followed the sound which was coming from another room, the room where the piano was located. There she discovered Leslie playing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, flawlessly. That famous masterpiece of Tchaikovsky had been the theme of that late night's movie. The Lemkes had come to realize that Leslie had the ability to listen to a musical piece, and without hearing it again, he was able to sit down and play it flawlessly on the piano.

Leslie's ability to play music with flawless aptitude was so remarkable that Morley Safer featured Leslie Lemke on 60-minutes in 1983. Safer indicated that this astonishing "savant's" endowment was one of the top ten stories on which he had ever reported. In fact, Leslie's story was repeated by Mr. Safer again in 1993 on the 25th anniversary edition of 60-minutes. Since then, Leslie has performed concerts across American and around the world. The film, "Rain Man," which brought to America's awareness this amazing phenomena, was produced.

Such individuals as Leslie are called "savants." It was Dr. J. Langdon Down, better known for describing the Down Syndrome, that first used this term. Savants have the amazing ability, despite great mental handicaps, to perform a particular task with extraordinary genius. When asked by Safer, May's explanation of Leslie's ability was, "Well, I think, because the brain was damaged, a part of the brain--the musical part--God left perfectly healthy and beautiful so Leslie could have a talent. And he got it!" Somewhere in the recesses of an injured mind, a protected place is set aside, that is charged with miraculous resources and possesses an extraordinary genius. Savants are able to focus in on and display that singular endowment, which can only be a God-given talent!

When such individuals display such remarkable talents, we are all reminded again about the seemingly unlimited potential that resides in the human mind and how little of it is tapped by even the greatest of intellects or inventors! God has created men, men who have astonishing potential and paramount possibilities. Possibilities, which although unknown, disguised, and sequestered, are constantly revealed and at times revealed through the most unlikely vessels! The Bible says it this way, "Thou has crowned him (men) with glory and honor."

As we learn about the world in which we live, exploring the depths of the sea and the expanse of space, we are awe-struck with the greatness of God Who created it all by his word. However, man's awesome potential and possibilities also have the potential to overwhelm us! We have been created in the image of God, and when we view the astonishing "universe" of man's capacity we can only stand in awe once again. As the disciples said when they were faced with the powers of God, "What manner of man is this. . . ?" What must our Lord be like in all his greatness and glory? "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:33).