break on through to the other side

One of the homeless guys I've been spending time with is everything you never want to meet in a dark alley at night. He has a killer type instinct and looks like he would rather beat you to a pulp than have a conversation with you. He is a street hardened thug, that doesn't take non-sense from anyone. I've found that one thing he does like is biscuits and gravy and hot coffee. He's a strong guy and has been helping me move furniture and assemble IKEA furniture a couple times a week. It gives him walking around money and keeps him from mugging people.


He has been up on charges for possession of crack and drug paraphernalia. He was ordered to go through a county sponsored drug program, which he completed 6 months ago, and has been waiting for the charges to be dropped. He had a court hearing a month ago that he didn't know about, because he's living on the streets and doesn't get mail. When he missed the hearing a warrant was issued and the police picked him up. He spent three weeks in jail and was released.


A week later he had another hearing and because of a failed drug test (for an obscure opiate) he was given two weeks to retake and pass the drug test. He swears he has been clean for 6 months and hasn't done anything harder than cigarettes and an occasional beer. He has no reason to lie to me about it, in fact most guys would brag about what they've been doing. I've never witnessed this guy drunk or on drugs.


Two weeks went by and he went to his hearing, hoping to be a free man. His drug test came back positive for opiates again, a little weaker than before, but, positive none the less. As he sat in the courtroom waiting his fate, he asked the judge if he could call me. The judge agreed and this rock hard street smart thug called me. He didn't know what to say, he just explained what was going on and asked me to pick up his tent and bag of clothes so they wouldn't get stolen. It was a short call. The judge then told him he would have to re-enter the 30 day drug program at one of the outreach centers. So the call was made to find him a spot. Nobody answered the phone and nobody returned the call, so he sat there in the courtroom for a couple hours waiting. Finally the judge said, since it didn't appear the outreach centers had a place for him he would have to go through the program in jail.


That's exactly what he didn't want to hear, another 30 days in jail. He sat in the courtroom for a while longer until the sheriffs department came to get him. As they were processing him into the jail, a lady ran into the property turn in area and said "he's being released! they found him a bed!" They took him back into the courtroom and the judge asked if he had a way to get there. He told him that he did and they released him.


As I was driving him to the outreach center yesterday, he was explaining it all to me and he said "I'm not F#*&ing kidding you man, it was a God thing, seriously, I was F#*&ing praying to God so hard that they'd find me an F#*&ing bed. I just couldn't believe it when that lady ran in at the last second when they were booking me. God really showed up. I mean I just can't F#*&ing believe it."


This might be a very offensive way to talk about God, but, the point is that he really cried out to God and God heard him. This was such a huge step towards God for him and probably one of the most significant ah-ha moments he's had about the existence of God. Please pray for him as he goes through the 30 day program again that he'll grow closer to God each day.