FROM a civil engineer in Bahrain during the Gulf War, to being a Church of Scotland minister in Rome, to becoming a locum in Auchterderran, is the story of one of Cowdenbeath Rotary Club's newest members.

Rev Willie McCulloch was the speaker at Thursday's meeting and talked about how he had grown up in a small former mining town in Lanarkshire and had become an apprentice draughtsman with a Glasgow company.

Said Willie: "I worked for a spell with Irvine Development Corporation as the new town took shape but in February 1982 I took the plunge, with my wife Jean's support, to join the growing number of Scots working in the construction industry in Bahrain.

"It was a different world for us from winter in Glasgow to the hot conditions of the Middle East, but we soon got over our early problems and I started work on another new town project, but this time in Bahrain!

"Jean and our two daughters soon settled to life out there and we all ended up spending 12 happy years in that sunny land."

Willie explained how during that time their son had arrived and they had joined the Anglican church community there.

He added: "I had been involved with the kirk before we left Scotland and the Anglican church was the one that seemed best for us over there and I eventually became a warden and was involved in setting up a youth club. I really enjoyed my role as warden."

During that period Saddam Hussain invaded Bahrain and the Gulf War ensued and it was a difficult six week period for everyone.

But when it ended life got back to normal and Willie continued as a civil engineer and the family's involvement with church remained solid.

On returning to Scotland in the early 1990s he decided to leave civil engineering and took up the call of the ministry and studied theology and became a Church of Scotland minister.

He served parishes in Scotland and then was asked to become the Church of Scotland minister in Rome, which he found a very interesting experience.

His 'kirk route' ended with him being locum at Auchterderran and Kinglassie Parish Church.

Concluded Willie: "I suppose it was an unusual route into the ministry but it was a hugely interesting one.

"I still am available to do locum work and I thoroughly enjoyed helping the congregations in Cardenden and Kinglassie during their vacancy".