I met a homeless guy named Shaun the
first night we served at the lighthouse. I completely connected with
this guy in so many level…and I really believe that God placed him
in my life for a reason.
Shaun has 3 kids, has had throat cancer
(and he talks with a raspy voice that you can barely understand), and
is addicted to alcohol. His kids don’t want nothing to do with him
because of his addiction.
So you may ask where do I connect with
him…well you see a couple of weeks ago I heard some bad news that
my grandpa was diagnosed with throat cancer. This has devastated me
because I can’t be there to see him, to pray for him, and to just be
there as he goes through the Chemo. But just the other night Shaun
told me about him having throat cancer and has encouraged me a lot
through it all. I know now that I don’t have to worry as bad because
my grandpa is going to be okay.
What breaks my heart the most about
Shaun is that his kids don’t want anything to do with him. I have
grown up in a single parent home, I know what its like to not have
my dad around, and to have turned to other men to fill that void. I
just don’t see how these kids/teenagers can continue on and let their
dad be homeless or much less not want to even have a relationship
with him. I will probably never understand it but I can feel Shaun’s
pain through it all.
Yesterday I asked Shaun to go to church with me
in the morning, he said hopefully I’ll be there.
This morning Michelle, Alison, and I went to church. I walked back several times to look for Shaun but didn’t see him at the door. I asked Michelle to look one last time. As she went to the back door a man that was somewhat a door greeter asked her what she was doing. She said waiting on my friend. He said who’s your friend, and she replied well we work at the lighthouse and we asked one of the guys to come to church. He replied, well i arrested a few herion addicts here today, and don’t welcome herion addicts here. She told him that God welcomes everyone in the church. She was upset as she came back and told me what was going on. She then got up again and went to the man and questioned him…she said God put this on my heart and Jesus would rather hang out with herion addicts than religous leaders, and im praying that my friend will show up. (I sat in my seat and thought to myself what am I doing here, why am I sitting here listening to these songs, when I should be out in the world spreading the love of Jesus like he would. Why am I boxing myself in this church that doesn’t accept herion addicts.) When Michelle came back to the seat we both agreed that we needed to leave and go look for Shaun. We walked around for a while and then decided to go back and get shirts and write on them “free hugs” and spread the love of Jesus to the people of Dublin, Ireland. We also wrapped some sandwiches to hand out to our homeless friends that we see everyday in the streets beggin.
We went to McDonalds and then sat on the liffey. We ended up sitting next to this man Sheraz, we shared what we were doing for Jesus, traveling around to 11 countries in 11 months, sharing our testimony and he ended up turning his life over to Jesus and saying the sinners prayer. I was rejoicing as the angels were around us singing. –you may ask why I say that, well 2 men walked past us, I could feel danger all around them. I watched as one of the guys jumped the wall we were sitting against, then the other…then he jumped back over the wall and stood next to me. I felt like they were about to rob us, I told Michelle to grab her purse that was sitting next to her. After that the guy next to me walked up to me and started rambling something…while he was doing that the guy behind us stole Sheraz’s phone that was on the bench next to him. It all happened so fast, we looked over at Sheraz and he picked the guy up behind him and dropped him, then Sheraz pulled his phone out of the guys pocket and the guys ran off. It was incredible how God was with us, how those 2 guys didnt pull a knife out or how a fight didn’t start. God is good.
We ended up giving out sandwiches and free hugs all day. It was awesome……we never found Shaun but I know that God is with him out there in the streets of Dublin!!!
YEAP IM RECKLESS FOR JESUS
TEAM JESUS!!
Michelle and
Sheraz
