Ron Hamilton's Testimony of How He Became Patch the Pirate

Ron Hamilton never planned to become a pirate; it just happened, in a divine way. In 1978, the discovery of cancer in Ron’s left eye resulted in the loss of his eye. The surgeon removed the bandages a week later and presented Hamilton with a black eye patch—the real-life prop that thrust him into his role as a pirate evangelist. Everywhere he went, children pointed and exclaimed, “Look! A pirate!”

“Hearing a doctor say I had cancer and may die was a very sobering experience,” he says. “Many people would see the loss of my eye and the need for wearing a patch as a great trial. But I see it as one of the greatest blessings of my life. It reminds me that God teaches us the greatest lessons in the deepest valleys.”

Immediately following the loss of his eye due to cancer, Ron Hamilton penned a song based on Philippians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord. Its message has encouraged many listeners who God has called to journey through a dark valley.