sharing .. being present 2 . .. .

' being present ' is a recent post on understanding the role of the helped in the life of the helper - there is get-back; the benefits run both ways

it strikes me over the last few days .. there is a primo example of that in my life
his name is Random, and i've posted about him before, on another blog

a few weeks ago Random was drunk onsite on a sunday morning right around time of service
apparently some ' good-intentioned ' folk tried to get him to leave - he was causing a bit of a disturbance in his inebriation while people gathered for service and sunday lunch
i hung out with him for a few hours
he was confrontational at times, although mildly so
some other homeless people wanted him gone - he had offended them
i tried to keep things reasonable while service and lunch went on

that was 3 weeks ago

Random has been in and out of drunkeness since i met him
i invited him in one sunday soon after i got here to this town

like every person, he has a story
he has issues
and a pile-up of issues had him on the backfoot looking for escape from reality and help in dealing with the crap
he liquored
i guess when you live on the street and sleep in the woods and panhandle and beg for your daily bread and whatever it is you need ... . . . .    .
you realize how alone you are, and try to escape the aloneness however you can, a very reasonable response for the human condition in walking-alone life
... many of us are lonely, even when we're not alone
and many of us seek escape even when we don't have the burden of being unhoused

i've watched and talked-with and listened-to Random
i've heard his stories, in pieces
i've smelled him after long bouts of drought where he simply drank, ate nothing, slept, and stopped caring for or about himself; he wanted death ..
and i've seen him sober and cognizant too

the drunkenness has been on the decline since i met him, slow but steady decline

the last couple weeks in particular i've seen a marked change

there is a disciple community movement on the rise here
and Random came recently and participated, and came back next time ..
sober both times

i've seen more and more bright spots in him
and recently it has been one long bout of bright
a smiling, clean, happy Random is now the new norm ..
maybe
i hope it stays that way

..

God has been active
many many times
and Random repeatedly gives him the credit
always making references to God's action ( or inactivity ) in his life
the deer that stepped over his sleeping bag
the frogs he listens to at night
the stars God ' set in place '
the cell phone that was returned by the thief
the person(s) that bought him sandwiches randomly

and i've watched
listened
learned
.. at least some
i think
..

last night, after community meet, we walked out to the street - Random was heading out for his walk 2 or 3 miles to the woods where he sleeps
he spoke of a friend's struggle with alcoholism and their recommendation to join a recovery group
Random's comment to me was similar to this: " that never worked for me; i always knew i needed the help of a higher power. i wake in the morning and thank him, and tell him i love him. i go to bed at night and i look at the stars and think of him, and i tell him ' thanks ' and that i love him ..
and he loves me back ! "

he has, in the last 2-3 weeks, been able to get GA, and is now in-line for housing assistance, as of this morning

...   ..

i didn't mean for this to be so long a post, but i am struck by the apparent change i've seen, and i'm excited

it brings me back to the ' being present ' thingy, and our need to be ' in ' the lives of the people we look to help and minister-to, not only for them, although mostly for them - they're the blatantly in-need - but also ' for ' me
i get unexpected benefits
if i'm open to that
if my heart is set in a receiving mode
if i see that person as someone i can learn from
if i look to be blessed in the blessing

i'm excited

i've heard Random speak to the goodness of God over and over, and seen his unrelenting acknowledgment of God even when he was in the dump, scraping the barrel's bottom

..

i have much to learn
more from him, i'm sure
and from that happy Indian
and the wandering hillbilly
and the Traveler
and the young 2 that're constantly high, looking for escape from that grave
and the tall one looking to head north out of here, that told me a week ago he's not at all religious, still looking, but is touched by the wisdom and coolness of the local Shepherd
and the quiet island guy that inspires me with his cool, nursing a swollen and infected hand
and the skinny lady that quietly appears and disappears, and amazes me she could handle street life
and the never-stop-talking chick that volunteers every saturday, who's not associated with the church here
and never-say-die bob, who travels with more stuff on his bicycle than anyone could imagine - dude deserves a circus act
and .. and .  ..  .

i'm learning

Lord, open my ears, close my mouth
and allow me to simply try to understand so's i can rejoice with those that rejoice and weep with those that weep and help while being helped myself

thank you for the privilege of being involved in the lives of these my fellowhumans
remind me regularly .. they too carry the imago dei

i follow you