Not What I Expected
Ever have one of those experiences that you are stunned afterwards? I had one of those last night. Every Thursday night we have prayer at the Underground from 7pm to 8pm. It is usually attended by only a few, but it is always a good time, last night was no exception.
So last night Monica was explaining that we could pray wherever we wanted inside or outside. When she said outside it was louder than everything in my ears. So I went up to the stage to start praying. I have a habit of walking everywhere in the place and praying for where I am walking at. So I prayed at the stage and then moved over to the gaming area and sat down on a bench and as I was praying I heard 'go outside'. So I made my way outside and when I got there I heard 'go left' so I went left around the building.
While I was walking I was praying about how weird it is that we all have the calling on our life to reach people through the Underground yet we are the same people who don't have it together. We are the same people who struggle to follow/find God. And it was then that I rounded the corner of the building and saw this lady walking down the driveway. She was an older black lady who was just enjoying a walk. I smiled at her and said hi and she did the same. And then she asked something that I couldn't quite hear. So I asked her to repeat it and I walked up closer to her. And when I did she took a step back from me. I quickly realized why she did....she was fast on her way to being drunk. I could have gotten a buzz off her smell. I chuckled inside when she made a comment about she doesn't know why she is out walking when she has a car at home. I was thanking God she was walking cause she sure didn't need to be behind the wheel of a car.
I introduced myself and answered her questions. She wanted to know if we were associated with Dayspring and if we were a 'Christian' place...the norm for questions asked about us. In talking with her I invited her into see the place since her son comes there. As we were walking is she made a comment that broke my heart. She was talking about her son and 'how he lives right because his momma doesn't.' She told me that he doesn't drink or smoke unlike his mother. I showed her the place. She cracked me up cause she dropped the F bomb when she walked in. And she said several other things. Everytime she said something she was like oops sorry.
At one point she turned to me and said, 'I'm not a good person this place isn't gonna fall in is it?' I chuckled and told her that I am not a good person either and I am in the place all the time. She went on talking about how cool the place was and I walked her over and showed her the games. And while we were walking she was like, 'You aren't trying to save me now are ya Cindy?' I told her that I can't save myself so I don't have the power to save her.
We keep talking as we walked outside. She told me a little bit of her life and the whole time I am just tripping inside. I invited her to come back tonight (Friday) or Saturday. I told her if she came back on Friday I would be there and she and I could shoot a game of pool or something. I told her about the free food on Saturday. And then I asked her if there is anything I could pray for her about since we were there praying.
She told me about her reasonings behind not going to church and told me she was good. I honestly didn't expect her to tell me something to pray for her about. Who really opens the deep parts of their life to a perfect stranger? I shook her hand and told her it was great meeting her and I hoped to see her Friday and she walked away.
I was blown away as I walked back inside. Going outside did not lead to what I expected.