One Sunday morning as my husband and I were preparing for church, my phone rang. It was quite early so a phone call at that hour is very unusual. It was a Bishop that sounded very alarmed. He stated that his church was just beginning Sunday School when a man walked in and interrupted the service. The Bishop was unsure of what to do so he told me that he thought calling me before calling the police was his best option.
I asked what seemed to be the problem and the Bishop stated that the man was very disturbed and angry, but at what, the Bishop could not determine.
The Bishop said he knew if he called the police they probably would shoot him so he asked me what should he do?
I told the Bishop that I was on my way and give me a chance to talk to the man before calling the police.
When I arrived at the church, the members were quite frightened and had backed out of the way. I looked and standing in the alter was this young man that was angry at the world and looking somewhat wild in the eyes.
The Bishop stated he was going to call the police because the man was getting very beligerant and they must continue with Sunday School.
I asked that he give me one moment with the man before calling. I then walked up to the front of the church and asked the man to tell me what was wrong. He began to vent his anger and was all over the place. His story was somewhat hard to follow, considering his anger and clearly his alcohol usage.
Then I looked at the young man and asked directly…
What would you like for me to do to help you?
The man looked at me quite astonished… as though he never saw another human being before. Amazed.
I stood frozen because I could tell I had struck a nerve with him. I could tell that I had gotten to his very soul.
He looked at me and I began to see tears well up in his eyes. Stunned I asked, “what is wrong? Sir how can I help you?” He began sobbing like a little child and said…”I got out of prison one year ago. I had nowhere to go, no family, no friends, no housing and no one will hire me and I’m not even from Jacksonville. I have tried and tried only to fail time and time again. You are the first person in over a year that has looked past my hurt and my drinking and asked how could you help me?” He said, “you are the first person who ever asked what could you do for me? Everyone else told me what to do and where to go, pretended like they cared, only for their paycheck, but no one ever just asked me what did I want or what could they do for me?”
He then said, “I want my family back, I want my wife back, I want a job, I want to stop drinking and I want people to stop looking at me as if I was the worst thing in the world!”
“I think if someone had asked me one year ago what could they do for me I probably would not be here begging and I am tired of begging.”
What did the young man want? He simply wanted someone to listen to his hurt. He just wanted to know if anyone of faith really cared. He found that to be true on that day and he got to his feet and left the church. I have never seen him since.
As we have over 50,000 people coming into our community from jail and prison this year, and you see the frustration in their eyes just ask them…”what may I do for you, how may I help?”
You may partner with THORMINC in answering the questions of what can I do for you, how may I help?
Partner with us in providing housing for one man for six months. Partner with us with giving leads to employment. Partner with us for transportation for one man for one month until he finds employment. Partner with us for food for one man for one month.
Partner with THORMINC so you also may be a part of the solution. Call us at 904-354-2233 to learn how you may partner.
