It was a quiet morning in the city. I was standing at an entrance door waiting for a friend. There beside me stood a man. He was quiet and not looking like he wanted to talk. It felt awkward not saying a word, but I let him be.
Soon the silence was broken with his quickly spoken sentence, “Are you someone who could help me?”
Not sure as to what he was referring to, I began to ask questions as gently as I could wondering what his need might be.
“What do you need help with?” a job
“Are you from around here?” no
“Do you have a family?” yes
The look in the man’s face and tone of his voice seemed desperate as he began to share with me a glimpse of his life. He had spent years in jail for running dope across south Texas. In jail he came to know Jesus and a better way of living. He recently had been released. He had gone back to his home city where his family was, only to find that things were the same there. Drugs were prevalent, deals were a dozen, precious family and friends were further involved. The former life that landed him in jail was starring him square in the face again.
He continued sharing how his family was setting him up to make drug runs. His friends were scheduling him to guard loads being hauled. His wife upset and desperate for a change. His children longing for their daddy.
With tears streaming down his cheeks he told how no one from his past understood his need for change. They not only understood, but they were downright mean and cruel towards him now that he wanted out. He wanted something more. He shared the life he wanted to have full of peace with Jesus and the dreams he had for his family only to see venom in their eyes, words, and conduct.
Wanting out of that crazy life and wanting more for their lives as a family, they left. They drove hours away, had lived in their car, and were trying to start fresh.
My heart ached and my eyes leaked as I listened. I felt helpless to help. I made a few phone calls for job leads as he introduced me to his wife and children. Not having a way to help out at the moment, I remembered I had gift cards on me. I fumbled through my purse and was so thankful for my sweet hubby (read here) and handed him 4 gift cards.
Encouraging him as best as I could to keep fighting the fight to move on for his wife and children, I left this man with such a joy that God had seen fit to put him in my path.
Living in the moment, keeping your eyes open to others needs, and stepping out of your comfort zone to show acts of kindness — oh heavens, there’s no greater joy!
What’s your story? An OLD or NEW story, I’d love to learn from your ideas of how to bless others. If you have a blog link up below, if not please share in the comments.
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Oh Alene!
This is such a beautiful, wonderful story. My heart goes out to that family. Bless your heart for stepping up when God called on you!
PTL!!
Thanks girl. This is so inspiring !
What an incredible story. So happy you were able to help them in their time of need. You were a God-send for them that morning. Awesome!
It was such a God appt. Praying for him and his family this week.
I’m so glad you were able to help. Do you know if any of those job leads panned out for them?
I know the job leads were in contact with him. I haven’t heard the rest of the story. Thanks friend!
{Kathy} I have been inspired to keep gift cards in my wallet from now on just for this purpose. The ache that Jesus stands before us and we don’t know what to do is so common. Food gift cards for fast food restaurants that are EVERYWHERE I think sounds like a good idea. I am going to look at the different chains and see if one has a mission for helping the homeless.
Those were a suggestion in my eBook and my hubby got them for me for my birthday. It has been the coolest gift ever, because I get to turn around and bless others with them. We don’t have many fast food places downtown, so he just got was there. Love that you are going to do that! Blessings as you bless others.
Oh Alene, my heart goes out to this man and his family. It’s so wonderful and what a blessing you were to sit and listen to this man without judgement. I hope and prey that he does make a fresh start. i love the idea of carrying gift cards with me that can be used to help others. I will start to do that. I feel so blessed reading all of the selfless Acts of Kindness people are sharing! :)
There are many praying for his fresh start girl! I hope so — not only for him, but for his wife and kids. I don’t think he believe in himself because all he knows is the hard life of drug running. Oh but I saw his sweetness and he could have so much to offer.
I’ve been out of town all day and I’m just getting to the stories. It’s beautiful!
I am going to be starting a spotLIGHT series on 7/23 and would love to share this with my readers. Would that be okay with you?
http://journeywithd.com/2012/07/09/be-a-spotlight/
Deanna – I’ve been out of town all day and in the process of trying to keep up via my phone I deleted your message that had your email. Please email me. I’d love for you to use this story. Or I don’t mind guest posting. Can’t wait to visit!
Alene- what a gift this encounter was. I honestly feel so blessed when God lines things up just right and I can give away all that He has given me. I Love how you just happened to have gift cards and that you gave those from your heart. But even more than that, I love how we all can now be praying for this man, whose name we don’t know but God does. And so I do pray that your act of kindness would plant a seed so deep that he wouldn’t forget. Even when he is rejected by friends and family for choosing the right path, that he wouldn’t forget that God knows his name and his needs. So awesome.
Oh my – YES – every encounter is such a God appointment. I walk away so pumped. Thanks for your prayers for this man and his family. I want him to fight for a new life, but I know it’s hard. It’s jobless now and he knows that with one phone call he can provide for his family again. But then might end up back in jail or dead. South Texas drug smuggling is tough.
Alene… Although I feel compelled to say something in response to what you’ve written, I almost find myself heart-breakingly speechless in not knowing what to say. I do a lot of voluntary work in the prisons, and I also help with those ex-offenders that have recently gotten out. What I’ve learned through my experience is that it’s so easy for us to go in and encourage those on the inside to not go back to the same family and friends that helped them to get in there upon their release. When reality is, where else do they go when they get out when only given $10 and a bus ticket to get there? I’ve seen so many relapse back into the same old life, because it’s so hard to get out of and away from and start over again. One girl (even this very week) that gets out in November told me that she’s afraid that she’s not ready to. Why, I asked her? And she told me that it’s because it would be her 4th time…. and she doesn’t want to fall to those same people and those same patterns and that same lifestyle again, but she’s so afraid and doesn’t know how to start completely over on her own. How will she make it, she wonders? Even when first going to a half-way house or transitional home… it’s so hard for them to begin again. Another girl was just released from prison a week ago Monday. Both of her parents died while she was incarcerated. She has no sisters nor brothers, no other family that she knows of. She has no one to go back to, no home, no clothes, no job, no transportation, no anything. So to start with that $10 as her rent accumulates in the transitional home that she has been accepted into has her overwhelmed already and the fright of it is blowing her mind. Who will hire her? How will she get there when they do? What will she wear? How will she start up from scratch without anything except the few charitable items that others have so graciously given her?
One thing I have learned from all of this though is that every next little kindness from whoever will give it eventually adds up to a lot. Each morsel is appreciated! Each item valued. Each blessing treasured.
Oh at the stories that I could tell from watching them hobble in their walks… and though watching them and trying to help them in it, I still cannot even begin to fathom trying to walk in their shoes.
Thank you so much for giving what you had! God waits to grant you your reward upon your entrance to His Heaven.
Sharon – THANK YOU! for sharing your heart and story! Boy the more I try to serve and love people the more I see how it seems impossible to them to make a change. Many of been told they’re useless and worthless since they were born. All many know is a life of crime.
I would love your stories. I’d love for you to guest post. Give me a shout!
Blessings friend for all you do!
Just now stopping by to read and gather up a little inspiration.
You’re da bomb!!! Love you as you inspire many… especially me.
What an inspiring post Alene! You are such a blessing!