Wild Rainy Nite

Wild Rainy Nite - Fishing

by Rob-roy (USA, August 2007)

Friends,

I am exhausted but I must write before going to bed. Tonight on the street of our college town it was quite a scene. On and off rain and a live outdoor band playing Guns and Roses, AC DC and Ozzy Osborne (Metal bands) thru out the bar town main drag. In the midst of the meyhem I met a number of homeless kids. Yes kids. They hang out at a what I think they called the circle drum or the drum circle. It is down a side street kind of hidden but outside, near where the bars are, that they can call their own and hang out and yes drum. I talked mostly with one of the older kids whose name is "Lost". That's his street name. In the middle of a wild Saturday night I found "Lost". Or he found me.

We started the night by handing out a lot of food left over from an evangelism class earlier that day and water bottles (that had gospel labels on them) and one of our first stops was to talk with "Lost" and the other kids. I am amazed at how thankful they were that people (almost always Christians) take the time to talk with them and bring food. "Lost" told me that probably 65% of the kids there that I was looking at are homeless and he keeps an eye on the new ones so they are taken care of. There were a lot of kids there in that small area. Close to 25. And "Lost" said it really get's packed later in the evening around 10 PM. It is really a small little subculture or world. A place of community that for them means everything. This is what keeps them going. It is their family in a world that largely rejects them or worse doesn't notice them.

So here I am talking with "Lost" and the guy who is with me helping me out is my new friend "June". I had just met June. He is from Japan. Was just saved two months ago. He is now 7,000 miles from home and on the streets helping pass out food and share the gospel message with strangers. I must tell you that I love June. He is all about sharing the gospel. So as I am talking with "Lost" and hearing about his belief in Karma, reincarnation and gypsy spirituality, June profoundly tells about his brother. You see June's brother committed suicide a few months ago. As June told the story he explained to "Lost" how his brother had everything, that his brother was rich (June explained his family has money as evidenced by his being able to fly all the way to America) that obviously his brother was not homeless but had a great home... He had a home but he did not have HOPE! I will never forget what he said next. June said in broken English, "You have no home, but you can have HOPE!"

The rain was pouring but here we are getting wet, handing out food and water to a crowd of teens in mostly black and purple gothic dress and make up, talking to a guy named "Lost" with my partner from Japan named "June", about Hope in the midst of despair because of what happened 2,000 years ago on cross because of someone named Jesus. You gotta love that.

A number of hours later, as 11 PM neared I found myself talking with a couple of guys, one of them named Chris. Both were homeless but it was hard to tell for sure. Especially Chris. He looked like he was never on the street. Turns out it is his first week. He and his parents have had enough of each other it seemed (he did not go into detail).

I remember a homeless man a few years ago telling me that the secret to making it as a homeless person is to do your best NOT to look homeless. The short story on Chris is that he went from not caring about God or what happens after death to being broken and tears welling up in his eyes. It was getting late and I thanked him, asked if he had a bible and if he would think about gospel before going to bed. He said he would and then he held back tears, opened his arms and gave me a big hug. Chris is what I would describe as a gothic, black T-shirt and shorts, chains, ball-cap kind of teen that is way too cool to hug a 40 year old guy talking about Jesus. But that is what happened. While I try not to be stunned at what God can do I was.

Then Chris asked if he could go to church tomorrow with me (and his friend too). Earlier I had told him that I was not trying to get him to join a church nor was I asking for money but instead that he would place his trust in repentance and faith in Jesus. Because then he will want to worship God with other believers because he is saved, not in order to earn salvation. I restated that my concern was for his salvation not his church attendance.

He said that made sense but that he wanted to go and go tomorrow (which is officially today as I write this). He insisted. He asked if the bus would take him to the address of where I worship. Bottom line is that we worked it out for them to be ready to be picked up for a ride. After that God continued to work. June and another new friend of mine talked more with Chris. And that resulted in Chris repenting and putting his faith in Jesus right there as we all waited and prayed. It was amazing. The change in Chris from when I first talked with him to after hearing the gospel and then putting his trust in Jesus was night and day.

Here is a kid that probably is not going to be reached by some cool church program or activity. Those things are fine but for Chris it took the boldness of someone trusting God and meeting him where he was at. Which happened to be on the street corner of a busy bar area of a major college town on a rainy night in the middle of despair and darkness. Every time I am on those streets I am convinced that Jesus would be hanging out there, passing out water, sharing food, getting hugs, getting hugged, sharing truth, changing lives and saving souls.

Please pray for Chris and his friend. Pray for "Lost" and all those kids that are without homes but that do not have to be without Hope. The hope that comes from the gospel. Pray for "June" and his amazing trip from being lost, to being saved so that he could reach out to the lost and specifically a guy named "Lost" some 7,000 miles away from his home in Japan.

Thank you for your prayers. Time for sleep.

In Jesus name,

Rob-roy