LOST TOGETHER



yesterday was quite interesting. i had a wedding rehearsal booked for 4:00. at 3:30 a homeless guy shows up in the office - no shoes, no shirt. so i ask him what's going on - he tells me that he is sick and got thrown out of st, paul's hospital. the hospital calls me and explains that the guy was treated but then refused to leave. security had to physiclaly remove him and he left without his shirt or shoes.

at this point the guy is lying down on the floor of my office trying to sleep. he gets up and we go and i find him some socks and shoes and a sweater. then he demands to see another pastor - i tell him that pastor will not be here for 3 hours and he should come back then - he then gets belligerent and starts yelling at me - "i can't believe you people treat me like this!"
he's now storming down the hall towards the exit - as he's leaving i tell him - "alex this is probably why you were kicked out of the hospital - you can't treat people like this - especially people who are trying to help you." he yells "whatever!" as he slams the door on his way out.

i have to confess - i was very angry at this guy and wondered what i would have done if this interaction had taken place outside the church - would i have gotten violent? do i really have the potential to demean this guy further by verbally abusing him? sadly - i think i do - i am still lost and fallen.

anyways - he slams the door - i turn around and walk into the sanctuary to conduct the wedding rehearsal for a clean happy upper middle class family - what a contrast!

never a dull moment. today - bought a shirt and tie that were on sale at tommy hilfiger - bought them for the wedding tomorrow. got a good deal on it but when i got home i noticed that the tie was 2 colours - what i mean is the broad part is green and the skinny part is blue - i'm not very fashion conscious but i know i am not going to wear that tie and conduct a wedding - it looks like a clown tie.

"let me in"

Comments

Anonymous said…
I love your stories. I share your angst with dealing with these kinds of scenarios.

It is interesting that many people I encounter off the streets, in an attempt at any connection, create conflict because it is the only form of "intimacy" they know.

Peace,
Jamie
9:55 AM
Santosh said…
jamie

i continue to be haunted by my conflicted reactions to this disturbed young man - maybe you could share how you have come to deal with these "extra-grace" people in your own ministry in winnipeg.
12:33 AM
Anonymous said…
Santosh,

Great question, though I am not the best to answer it. When it comes to the mentally ill and/or those altered by drugs, I have to remind myself that the real person isn't present- that I am talking to the illness/addiction. This is hard to wrap ones mind around, but it does help.

However, in the end, it is agonizing tension of endless patience with no expectation of return or change, balanced against knowing ones limits and discerning appropriate boundaries.

I would HIGHLY recommend the follow blog on this topic (and contact the writer, as he is a Jedi Master compared to me, in this regards):

http://mission.squarespace.com/

Peace,
Jamie
10:07 PM
Santosh said…
thanks jamie - will check out the blog.
10:33 PM
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