the street church family

Aug 8, 2009

Got up at 3 am, set bread, back to sleep till 4:10, and made up a lot of fried bread by just after 6 am. Got dressed and headed to church in the park. There weren’t too many people this week, too much excitement Saturday night, with the Peach Fest. I find I am getting bolder about talking to people - and even bringing You into the conversation a bit more... Thank You, Father! I could not do it on my own!!!! Had one bucket of fried bread left (I had taken 4 buckets plus some sliced summer sausage), so I passed some of it out to people on the street on the way home, and gave the rest to the young man over at the second hand store).

Oh, the teaching at church in the park was on James 3, the power of the tongue to either hurt or encourage, and Pastor Peter had everyone tell about an experience of one or the other or both. It was good to see everyone participate like that. GJ came, I think it's his first time on Sunday. There is another young guy, he's on disability, originally from Quebec, trying to step out on his own. Anyway, he is a Christian. He had a Bible (King James, I think) and was reading it. I asked if he reads in French, too, and he said yes, but he had lost his French Bible. So I gave him the French NT/Psalms I carry in my bag. He was happy, especially since it was the Segond translation, his favorite. Then C, another guy, was telling me his adventure being in jail overnight (drank alcohol, which mixed with his meds - he has anxiety disorder – and he blacked out...). Anyway, then D told me that he and L had had an argument (she is bipolar, and her meds aren't working too well just now), and she went out last night, and didn't come home, so he was out looking for her this morning, and feeling really sad. And D was there with his new girlfriend. I had pictures of his baby from 2 or 3 years ago when I knew him and his former wife (his wife developed mental illness and got hospitalized, and he kind of went off the deep end, and their baby ended up being adopted out...), so I was going to give them to him, but his new girlfriend clings to him; I think she doesn't trust me, she won't leave his side when I'm anywhere in sight. Anyway, I talked to her, asked her about her kids etc, told her about my husband and kids and grandkids, so she won't be so paranoid... I met a new guy, G, and we talked about logging. I talked to lots of others too...

After I came home, I finished up dishes, etc. Then went to the store for eggs, milk, and bread. Milk is $4.70 a gallon! It just gets more and more expensive! But at least there was some excellent “thrift bread” so I picked up 3 loaves. Hubby will be happy.

I was thinking about the whole "church" thing. I really do feel part of church in the park (Another Chance Ministry)... but wonder what You might want from me (other than just baking and being friendly). It does continue to seem kind of strange to me to often be almost the only woman there! (Do You want me to go anywhere else? D says they have gone to “Cheers the Church” a big…)

Oh, on the way over to church-in-the-park, a man, 60ish I’d guess, came up to me and handed me some bracelets he’d found laying on the ground in the park. So I gave him a couple warm, fresh fry bread! He was happy to take them!

Later on in the day, when I was driving to the store, I saw D walking. I pulled over and talked to him; he hadn't found L yet but was heading home to see if maybe she'd come back there. I told him I'll pray for them... oh Lord, please help their relationship - with each other and with You... and please heal L from her illness, if it be Your will, or else help her to turn to You for her help and comfort. Thank You, Lord! I told him if he can't find her, he can come over to our house and I can drive him around, see if he can find her, in case she's gone to the other end of town or something.

Then D came by, poor guy, in tears, still can't find L, and his back is killing him, he ran out of his pain meds, so I gave him some T3s I had left over from when my back was bad, and listened to him, and prayed with him. He is so discouraged. Oh Father, please just heal L and bring her home safely and encourage D and heal his back, and heal their relationship, and most of all, please bring them closer and closer to Yourself, I pray, in Jesus' precious name! Amen!