I met a woman at Foundry a few months ago. I will call her Diane. In some ways we were similar and there was an ease to our interaction, but there was one big difference – I have a home and she does not. As we left the church, I invited her to my nearby apartment to continue our conversation.
We spent several hours talking about all sorts of things – work, religion, family. I made some tea and she brought out a banana that we shared. I had some clothes set aside for donation; she looked through them and found a couple of warm sweaters. But, mostly we just talked, like teenage girls who became fast friends.
As she left, she thanked me for my hospitality and said she most appreciated the opportunity to just relax and “feel normal.” For her it was a taste of an earlier, easier time and a welcome break from her days and nights on the street. As she left she asked if I had a prayer request that she could keep in mind.
I haven’t seen Diane since that day. I think of her as an angel who came into my life to teach me lessons that I continue to learn. I thought about Diane during Dean’s recent sermon about what we would give if we had no money. Simple fellowship is sometimes the greatest gift we can provide. And it’s something we can all give without spending a cent.
We spent several hours talking about all sorts of things – work, religion, family. I made some tea and she brought out a banana that we shared. I had some clothes set aside for donation; she looked through them and found a couple of warm sweaters. But, mostly we just talked, like teenage girls who became fast friends.
As she left, she thanked me for my hospitality and said she most appreciated the opportunity to just relax and “feel normal.” For her it was a taste of an earlier, easier time and a welcome break from her days and nights on the street. As she left she asked if I had a prayer request that she could keep in mind.
I haven’t seen Diane since that day. I think of her as an angel who came into my life to teach me lessons that I continue to learn. I thought about Diane during Dean’s recent sermon about what we would give if we had no money. Simple fellowship is sometimes the greatest gift we can provide. And it’s something we can all give without spending a cent.
(Wow. Thanks, Alicia.)
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