Few places in the world evoke a more exotic image than India. From the massive Himalaya mountains in the north to the southern-most tip of Cape Comorin where the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea rush to meet the Indian Ocean, India is geography and geography here is history. The great subcontinent is the gateway to the East. It is where European nations sought to find a sea route to this enchanting world to conquer and control the spice trade. It was their quest to amass unimaginable wealth, especially from the spice known as pepper or "Black Gold." It is here that European nations fought their proxy wars on foreign soil and paved the way for European colonization of Asian countries. It is here that the British came as traders and established the British East India Trading Company. It is here that they came as traders and stayed as conquerors. And it is here, in this enchanting and historic land that Leslie Michael was born in the South East coastal city of Madras, now known as Chenai.
After his graduation from High School, Leslie proceeded to Bombay, now known as Mumbhai, where he took his apprenticeship in printing technology. Upon completion of his apprenticeship, the opportunity to work and study abroad, presented itself'. He had the good fortune of studying at the Academy of Graphic Arts in Munich, Germany while at the same time working for a large company that specialized in the printing of globes, maps and atlases. The interesting, pleasant and very rewarding stay in Germany gave Leslie the opportunity to visit almost every nook and corner of Western Europe. Being a history buff, he naturally made it a point to wander to historic sites in Europe such as the site of the Battle of Waterloo, only a short distance from the city of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Of course, the historic battle sites of World War II were on his list. During World War II, India was still under the British and two of Leslie's uncles fought on the side of Britain, along with soldiers from Commonwealth countries. They fought in North Africa under the command of Field Marshall Montgomery against Field Marshall Erwin Rommel -- the Desert Fox. In memory of his uncles, Leslie visited the Normandy beaches where three million men and 500,000 armored vehicles would cross the English Channel -- on D-Day, June 6th 1944 -- The Longest Day -- the day that saw the beginning of the end of Hitler and the Third Reich. It was a defining moment when thousands and thousands of young men offered the supreme sacrifice so that we today, can live in peace and freedom -- something that so many of us take for granted.
After three years and the successful completion of his studies, Leslie immigrated to Canada from Germany. In Toronto, Ontario, Leslie took management courses at Ryerson Polytechnic. On coming to Vancouver, British Columbia in the early 1970s, Leslie decided, after working several years in the printing industry, to go on his own. For many years, Leslie owned and operated his own printing business where he printed everything except money
Now retired, Leslie lives with his wife in Coquitlam, a suburb of Vancouver. As an active member in Rotary, and Chairman for International Affairs, he has spearheaded several projects. Chief among those projects was the building of twelve playgrounds in twelve different schools in Mexico. The object being to keep the children on the playgrounds and off the streets. Another worthwhile project was delivering and distributing 43 wheelchairs to the poor and needy people in Mexico City. His latest venture was helping to secure a water truck to deliver clean water to a barren and dry area in Mexico.
However, the passion for history has never left him. The story of creation has always intrigued him and he set about to find out why God would create Paradise and allow evil (the Serpent) to dwell in it. People have so often wondered if there really is a God. Is there really something out there? Is He a Creator, a higher being of incredible spiritual and intellectual qualities? Is He really omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient? Is He all powerful and master of all He creates? Is He infinite? What Leslie did know, he had gathered from the Sacred Scriptures which are indeed the inspired Word of God. Yet, he found them to be irritatingly elusive and frustratingly inconclusive, leaving him begging for more. Leslie was sure there was more to that and has logically drawn his own conclusions from extensive research spanning three years. Approaching the story in a non-confrontational manner that invites intelligent discussions and meaningful dialogues, Leslie has written the story of "The Angel With A Broken Heart." It tells the incredible story of a magnificent angel who was cast into hell, a revengeful angel who swore vengeance, a rebellious angel who dared to challenge God.
