A few of the people in my life....

I thought I would tell you about...

It's kind of ironic, but for someone who doesn't have many really close freinds, I have a lot of people who seem to depend on me in one way or another...

In their own way, they're all a little "eccentric" is the word I think I would use.

Here are some of them:

Michael

He's about late thirties/early forties, and is a homeless guy I met in macdonald's once and bought a meal for. We got chatting, and he seems to know a bit of information about everything. He's a self confessed Heroin addict, although nowadays he just gets Methadone from his doctor just to stay normal and not get the shakes. I get the impression he's had a hard life and after talking and meeting him fairly regularly, I'm none the wiser as to what drove him to the streets. He's catholic, and seems to talk about God alot. He sometimes comes across as a bit bitter about his situation, (not surprising) but not enough to do something about it. He likes to talk about people alot, and seems to place value in people generally.

Chris

Chris is a heroin addict/alchoholic in his late thirties who I've met a few times over the years in town, and had some good conversations with. He knows the Bible well enough to quote it inside out, and I think he is actually a Christian, because I've heard him trying to pray when he's been high, getting upset asking God to help him get off it. He did go to a rehab centre and stayed dry in the past for about three months, but then missed his girlfreind too much (also an addict) and went back to her and to that lifestyle again. He regularly comes into the shop asking me to pray for him, and getting upset, but not seeming to get anywhere. I still pray with him and for him though. I see a desperation in his eyes that he wants to let go of the drugs but he just can't. It's really sad, but as long as he keeps coming in, I'll keep praying with him.

Luise

Luise is in her middle thirties, and is an ex-heroin addict, who claims that she re-dedicated her life to God and got clean because of talking to me. She says at the height of her problems, she came in to the shop and would talk to me, and that it helped because I listened. Without wanting to sound like false modesty, I honestly don't remember any of this, but will take her at her word! She still has alot of problems, an ex-husband who regularly tries to visit their children and beats her up when they have a fight, because of the drugs, she had to turn her kids into foster care, and she's only allowed to look after one of them now. I sense that she's also incredibly lonely, and feels like she's wasted some of her life through her past. On the positive side, she loves God, and is trying to live for him in very very difficult circumstances. She lives with a lot of heartbreak, and I chat to her quite often in the shop.

Steve

Steve is in his late forties, got to know me through another member of staff that went to his church initally. He never got many qualifications in school, and I think has some learning difficulties. He lives on his own in a very grubby flat with his three cats. He clealy loves his cats and talks about them alot. A lot of the time he doesn't wash before he goes out, so can be a bit smelly/musty at times. He volunteers three timers a week as a driver for a local animal shelter, and the rest of the time he comes in to the shop to talk to me!! He's very down on women, I think he's been hurt in the past and reacted to it negatively. He seems very lonely too.

Richard

Richard used to be in my Sundayschool class when I was still a teacher at the time. He's 19 and a half, and he has quite a few learning difficulties. He has a really bad stutter, and also sufferes from epilepsy. He basically has the mind of a 10yr old, and we tend to laugh a lot!! :> I take him to the cinema and invite him back to mine as much as I can because his mum and dad are divorced and seem to lead very busy, separate lives from him and he doesn't get to see them much. When he was born, he had to have several operations on his stomach, as he had a reflex reaction which meant he couldn't eat any solid food at all, even at 3 years old, he'd constantly throw up what he'd just ate. They operated on his stomach and oesophagus, which means that now it's impossible for him to vomit. While his understanding is limited, I think he could be smarter if he wanted to. He got baptised in church last Easter, and it was brill to see him moving on using what little faith/understanding he has. I try to look out for him as much as I can, as I still feel like his SundaySchool teacher!!!

Anyway I could go on all night, but I'll stop here for now. Suffice it to say, all thse people need your prayers (if you do) could you spare five minutes to pray for them? They're people special to God, and my freinds also!!