Our Discovery Bible Study was over and my friend had walked me home. It was late; a little after eleven. Our conversations had been okay during the study, but somehow on the way home things seemed to have gotten deeper and some needs for prayer arose. We stayed out in front of my building for some time when another friend walked by and we decided to walk him home instead.
As we were crossing Lydig Avenue (known as little Albania) I saw my neighbor Bill lying awkwardly on the ground, half on the road and half on the sidewalk. Sadly this wasn’t that strange, it’s commonly known that Bill drinks too much; memories of wars past haunt him daily.
I walked over to Bill and gently woke him up. I personally am okay letting him sleep outside if it’s a safe place, but definitely not in the road! I looked over at my friends and told them to go home. I asked Bill if he wanted to go home too; he did, so we started walking... it took forever. The entire trip is only about 9 blocks in total, but not only is Bill extremely drunk, he has got a bad limp to boot. As we’re walking, (it’s past midnight now) I saw a local barber, “D”, from across the street. He looked at me with a grimace/smile and he said, “heck, I know that’s got to be family”, I looked at him and replied, “nah, he’s my neighbor”.
Immediately, I saw an opportunity for a conversation and I was tired, so I sat Bill down for minute to rest and I shared with D “that to get close to God, we must love our neighbor”. I asked him if knows the story of the Good-Samaritan and then reminded him of the outline... The parable seemed so real in that moment to me; and it seemed real for D too.
Pray for Bill, pray that God fills the hole in his soul that he’s constantly trying to fill with liquor. Pray for D, pray that Jesus seems real more often in his life and that He fills the holes he has in his heart as well.
G.B. Catalyst in the Bronx
As we were crossing Lydig Avenue (known as little Albania) I saw my neighbor Bill lying awkwardly on the ground, half on the road and half on the sidewalk. Sadly this wasn’t that strange, it’s commonly known that Bill drinks too much; memories of wars past haunt him daily.
I walked over to Bill and gently woke him up. I personally am okay letting him sleep outside if it’s a safe place, but definitely not in the road! I looked over at my friends and told them to go home. I asked Bill if he wanted to go home too; he did, so we started walking... it took forever. The entire trip is only about 9 blocks in total, but not only is Bill extremely drunk, he has got a bad limp to boot. As we’re walking, (it’s past midnight now) I saw a local barber, “D”, from across the street. He looked at me with a grimace/smile and he said, “heck, I know that’s got to be family”, I looked at him and replied, “nah, he’s my neighbor”.
Immediately, I saw an opportunity for a conversation and I was tired, so I sat Bill down for minute to rest and I shared with D “that to get close to God, we must love our neighbor”. I asked him if knows the story of the Good-Samaritan and then reminded him of the outline... The parable seemed so real in that moment to me; and it seemed real for D too.
Pray for Bill, pray that God fills the hole in his soul that he’s constantly trying to fill with liquor. Pray for D, pray that Jesus seems real more often in his life and that He fills the holes he has in his heart as well.
G.B. Catalyst in the Bronx
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