Thursday, November 03, 2005

A "Chance" Meeting

Bear with me. This will be a tad lengthy, but will be worth your time.

I read a post from a Christian author (Edward Fudge) yesterday in which he described a chance meeting with a homeless person who needed shoes. Fudge was in his car at the time and a quick check of his pockets revealed a $5 bill and a $20 bill. Unwilling to part with the bills, he instead emptied his car's coin tray and gave that to the man.

As he drove away, he was instantly guilt-stricken. Fudge related that he had just been listening to audio tapes on Christian discipleship...and here was an opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ which he mishandled completely. He immediately prayed that God would give him a second chance.

Minutes later, he was gassing his car. Across the street he noticed a beggar with an amputated leg. Edward went over to meet him, gave him the $5 bill and said, "Please accept this in the name of Jesus!" "Ah, a Jesus man," the beggar responded. He then lifted both hands in the air and said, "Thank you, Jesus!"

I was touched by this story. Often, in the poverty-stricken neighborhoods where I drive a school bus, I will see someone pushing a grocery cart loaded with aluminum cans. To me, these folks presented a case for being the perfect people to help. Here they are actually working rather than begging on a street corner. However, the sheer logistics of suddenly stopping a school bus on a busy street made such an opportunity to render aid impossible.

So, after reading Fudge's account, I said a silent prayer that God give me a way to help people like the cart pushers. I didn't have to wait long.

A little after 7 this morning, I had parked my bus in my usual holding area near Hawn Freeway. As per my morning ritual, I closed my eyes and prayed for a time. When I opened them, here is what I saw: about 30 feet in front of me a woman was searching a large garbage container for cans. There was a tobaggon pulled down low on her forehead and she was wearing a Dallas Cowboys jacket. She was using a long stick to probe the innards of the trash can, occasionally lifting up plastic sacks and shaking beer cans loose.

She would stomp the cans flat and put them her own plastic bag. Then she would continue the operation. Minutes went by. The single-mindedness of her quest could not be underestimated. She was relentless. Occasionally, she would extract something other than aluminum that would be put into another bag. I found myself transfixed by this real-life drama being carried out at sunrise. Boom! It hit me. The prayer from yesterday. God had heard my prayer and was answering it in an unmistakable manner; I had been too overly-curious to catch on at first.

Now, it was 7:28 - a minute before I have to leave and head to the first stop. I eased the bus next to her; she was now nearly 20 minutes into this feverish attempt to what, feed herself? Her children? I opened the bus doors and she turned around. Her wrinkled face at first registered slight alarm. I didn't have any idea what I was going to say, but heard myself utter, "You look like you need a break!" I handed her a twenty. The face lit up and she smiled broadly. Amazingly, she had beautiful teeth. (How long had her life been on this track? Had she just recently been forced to the streets?) "Thank you," she gushed. "God bless you," was all I could think to say.

What a way to start the day. What a marvelous, interesting, amazing God we serve!

6 comments:

Blake Perkins said...

That is a great story. You have truly blessed her with more than money. That $20 to her is worth much more than $20 would be to us. Thanks for sharing.

Jenny said...

Great story! Thanks for sharing.

jmp

Jenny said...

Had a similiar experience that Fudge did on Tuesday. I picked up Zach from school and we headed to WalMart for gas. Zach was filling the tank when a guy came up and said, "Dude, sorry to bother you - but I really, really need gas. My car is there on the end - can you help?" I got out my wallet and pretended I had no bills, so I went to my coin tray in the car and gave him 6 quarters. I said, "Well, sorry, I hope this can get you almost a gallon." He thanked me and continued to the next pump to ask someone where this guy was unwilling to part with anything.

As Zach and I pulled off (me driving), I saw this guy giving the attendant the 6 quarters. Boy I felt guilty. I swung a U-turn, (Zach thought that was funny), pulled back into WM, and pulled behind his car, got out, stuck my credit card in the machine at the pump, said "God bless" and drove off.

Well worth it.

But I am too struck on who to help and when. I pass by dozens of homeless people every day. I guess God will let us know who and when it is time to help out.

Jason Rice said...

Wow! God used you Tim to minister to that lady. I'm reminded of that verse in Matthew 25 where Christ says "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." (verse 40)

Tim Perkins said...

Guys: Thank you for your comments. Fudge calls these people who pop up in our lives "Jesus representatives"...it's like we are being tested to see how we'll respond.

God bless you, Brett, for that U-turn you made.

Brooke said...

Good story Dad. You really helped her out. I needed help from so many different people yesterday and each one of them came through. I was amazed at how willing they were. They blessed my day and I'm not living from trash can to trash can. I bet she smiled all day long.