For our month in Ireland
my team lived in a hostel in Dublin.
Although we were working with Dublin Christian Missions and The Lighthouse, the
hostel was a huge area of ministry for us. This was my first experience in a
hostel and I fell in love with it. I just love the idea of meeting people from
all corners of the world and building relationships with them during the
multiple week stay at the hostel. Hopefully through these relationships they
can encounter Jesus and then they go back home or to another country. In
theory, this is sending fruit around the world. Pretty neat opportunity.
During our last week in the hostel I met Thomas. Thomas is a
26 year old guy from Poland.
I met him in the courtyard and he heard I was a Christian from America so he wanted
to chat. He sat me down and out of his mouth spilled his life story. His life
was very average, yet successful until he got wrapped up with the wrong crowd
in college. It was there that he began his heroine practices that led to a
serious addiction. His addiction drained all of his income, caused him to loose
his job, and in the end left him without a home of his own. Other decisions he
made in his past have left his body suffering from some pretty serious
diseases. Due to the lack of care he was giving to his body, he was slowly
dying. He shared his desire to get clean though. He was on the waiting list for
free drug rehab, but that usually takes six to twelve months to get into.
Meanwhile he has to continue doing heroine everyday to survive which is pretty
frustrating to someone who has no desire to live that way anymore. He was a
slave to his addiction. Although I felt like I could offer no assistance to his
addiction, I knew where he could get free meals and clothes since all he owned
at the moment were the clothes on his back and enough cash to stay at the
hostel for a few nights. I sent him to The Lighthouse the following night and
that was the last I saw of Thomas for a few days. I wondered what ever happened
to him.
The night before my team was leaving Dublin, Thomas showed up at the door of the
hostel asking to speak to me. He was not allowed in because apparently
management kicked him out earlier in the week. I went outside to chat and he
told me some crazy news. He said the night I sent him to The Lighthouse he met
a man that changed his life. This guy is in charge of a free drug rehab program
in Dublin and
had a person drop out that morning. Although normally the next person on the
waiting list would take this position, he offered it to Thomas. I made sure
Thomas knew how crazy this was. I made him realize there was a reason he was
offered this opportunity and not others. I made him realize there is a God who
has huge plans for his life, first of which is to free him from addiction. So
all Thomas needed was a bus ticket to the rehab center outside of town. I
agreed to meet him outside my hostel at 6am the following morning to go buy the
ticket.
I walked out of my hostel bright and early the next morning
and there was Thomas waiting for me on the steps. The first words out of his
mouth were, “Matt, I want to be free.” I nearly fell over at the sight of
Thomas that morning. Here was a man who has been a slave to heroine for years.
A man who’s sin has destroyed his life. But he stood before me filled with joy
knowing that freedom was on the horizon. Our walk to the bus station was
amazing. We talked about what life will look like when heroine is no longer in
control. We then talked about the true source of freedom that is available for
his life. I told him that whoever the Son sets free is free indeed. There is
more freedom available for Thomas. I prayed and asked him to remember the God
who opened this door for rehab and to consider giving his life back to the one
who died for it. Please join me in praying for Thomas.
