By Cameo K – DRIME Vancouver Leader
I was just getting ready to lead the devotional before ministry when an older man (Frank), who was quite inebriated, walked up asking for money. When he saw that I had a book he asked what I was reading. He came right up and asked if it was the Bible. When I responded that it was, he said that he knew about the Bible and asked for money again. I offered him food instead. He agreed to come with me and one of the other DRIMERs to A&W. On the way we talked about how he had been mistreated by Christians in a boarding school and how he wanted to have children despite his age. I reminded him of Abraham and God’s miracle of children in his life. He knew who Abraham was. He was happy to talk about his knowledge of the Bible. I apologized for the actions of the people who mistreated him in the name of Christ as we continued talking.
By the time we got to A&W, we were talking quite easily. I ran in to get him food while the other DRIMER stayed with him outside. When I came back out, he took my hand, thanked me and told me how he used to be a Christian but wasn’t anymore. I asked him if he missed being a Christian. He nodded. I explained who God is to me using the analogy of a loving father and comparing Him to how Frank would love his children. He seemed to understand what I was saying. I asked him if he wanted a God like that in his life and he nodded. There was moment of clarity in which he was fully present, despite the alcohol in his system. I prayed with him and he invited Christ into his life. I then went and brought back my Bible to give to him and we exchanged numbers. I then explained how God changes our lives. He asks us to give certain things up. He knew that drinking was one of those things. He told us that he would go home instead of asking for money to buy beer. We walked him to his bus stop and promised to call him the next day.
I called Frank on Saturday and left him a message. Later that evening, he called me back, drunk and feeling guilty. He told me that he was going to end his life. I stayed on the line with him, read him a Psalm, told him that I would be sad if he killed himself. I asked him to meet another DRIMER for church inVancouver. He agreed to, but never went. I haven’t heard from Frank since. I’m trusting that God is keeping him safe, and drawing him nearer to Christ. Pray that Frank would find his way back to Robson Street on a Friday night so that we can talk to him again.
Have you ever felt like Frank – hopeless and alone? You don’t have to just fade away in the background – talk to a mentor to find out more about the hope that you can have! Fill out the form below to get in touch with an online mentor.
