By Sierra R.
It was a Friday night and we were doing ministry in downtown Vancouver. A man with a bike rolled up to me and I immediately felt really comfortable talking with him, which was strange, because normally on the streets, I struggle for words and don’t feel very comfortable with passers-by, but Henry was easy to talk to. I asked him how his night was going, and then I asked him if he knew what was going on in the dramas. He told me he had no idea. I gave him a hint and said the man in the white is Jesus, and I saw he became a little uncomfortable, so I decided to just stand there with him while we watched the drama together. After the drama ended, he said that he had just built a house right next to a church. I asked him, “Have you ever gone to the church?” He then told me that the last time had been to church was his brother’s wedding over a year ago. I told him that going to a wedding wasn’t actually going to church, that was just going to a church building, and we laughed together.
He proceeded to tell me that he went to catechism as a kid, but he hated it, and he only did it because he said it was “an Italian thing” that people just do without questioning it. He then asked me where I attend church, and I told him that I go to church in Abbotsford. He took his sunglasses off and had a big smile on his face as he exclaimed “Oh! I work in Abbotsford!” That gave us some common ground, which kept the conversation going. A little while later, I asked him if he was interested in finding some churches near where he lived and he seemed very excited about it. I got the list of churches that we keep in our follow-up bag and wrote down the addresses of a couple churches in his area on a tract that shares the gospel. I also gave him my email address, in hopes that he would contact me in the future and give me an update.
He was a little unsure about going to a church, because he hates religion and he feared he wasn’t allowed in a church because he smokes. We then talked about the difference between religion and relationship. The concept of a relationship with Jesus seemed more appealing to him. I pray that he will see the joy in and fulfillment in Christ, and get the courage to walk into a church by himself. I also pray that when he does go to church that Jesus will soften his heart.
Sierra joined DRIME in 2010 and served on the Friday night team in Vancouver this past year. She currently attends Columbia Bible College.
