Memories

The children were playing outside in the crescent this morning when I heard a lot of screaming and a dog barking.  The children came running into the house.  As I looked out the window I saw a rather large dog chasing the children.  The facts turn out that the dog was actually chasing a cat that had dashed under our car but it looked like it was coming to chase the children.  Nevertheless it was a large pit bull dog and the owner was a rather thin looking man with a white hoodie.  I saw the look in his eyes and the hollowness in his face and it was a look that I had seen before and too frequently sadly.

When we were in Liverpool, Simon and I got to know the lads who sold "The Big Issue" magazine.  Everyday they would stand in Liverpool City Centre.  Simon got to know them because he sold the "War Cry", a Salvation Army weekly publication on a Friday.  Very soon, Simon became an unofficial chaplain for the guys of the Big Issue and helped many of them out by providing clothes, food, praying with them and sometimes helping them to get to Rehab.

Once such lad, Darren, came round to our house every week, where I would do his washing and make sure that he had a good meal in his tummy.  Darren was a drug addict and an alcoholic.  He had been on heroin for over 20 years and was at the point that if he didn't meet his fix every four hours he would die from the shock of not having it in his system.

Like so many of the guys, they sold the Big Issue to meet their need; to raise enough money to 'get their fix'.  At least selling the Big Issue they were earning money legally.  How they spent it was their own affair.  Selling the Big Issue prevented them from mugging, burglarly or begging.

One Monday evening Darren came round to our house for his weekly visit.  As his washing was put into the machine, a story unfolded of how he only just made enough today to get his evening fix.  He said, "if it wasn't for you and Simon, I wouldn't be here tonight.  I wouldn't have got my fix and I would be dead by now!"

We wanted to know more by what he meant "if it wasn't for you and Simon".  Turned out that because we had talked so much with him about Jesus and prayed with him everytime he was in our house he gave prayer a go himself that night.  The story unfolded.

This particular Monday was a bank holiday and so the shops closed early.  This meant that all the Big Issue guys were having to work much harder to get the amount needed.  Darren would normally work until six, now he had until 4pm.  He was £9.16 short before he could afford the fix. The shops had closed, everyone was leaving town.  He was absolutely desperate.  So he took himself around the corner to a bench, bent his head and prayed.  He told us what he had prayed.  "Jesus, I don't know if you are real or not, but Simon and Nina talk about you all the time.  They tell me that you will meet my need and they tell me that you will be my friend.  Jesus, if you are real, could you please help me meet my need tonight.  I know that I am not a good person, but I really need your help, to help me get my fix.  I know I shouldn't be asking you for drug money but you know that I need this.  Thank you very much.  Darren."

We sat there breathless waiting to hear the end of the story.  He told us that when he went back to his stand, one man was let out of the store and came over to Darren.  He said "I'm sorry mate, I haven't got much change but you can have what I got".  Darren looked at the amount the man gave him and it was exactly £9.16!  As Darren looked up to thank the man he was gone.  No-where to be seen.

Darren went back to the bench, bent his head and said "Thank you Jesus.  Just, thank you!"

We all sat there and wept.  Jesus had met his need!  We don't understand why Jesus would give this lad his drugs money.  We don't know why Jesus didn't just heal him there and then to be free of his addictions.  All we know is that Darren met Jesus that day!  Darren left Liverpool a few months later to go to Rehab.  We heard from him once to tell us that he was clean.  He had to cut off ties from Liverpool but he was clean!  We don't know where he is or how he is doing.

The Message was given, Jesus was introduced.  The rest is handed over to Jesus for the work to be done.

I am reminded of the last speech from William Booth and I try to live that out.  That is what I am called to:  While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while little children go hungry, as they do now, I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight-I'll fight to the very end!