I saw her in the day room of the Lodestar Day Resource Center. Her appearance was not that of someone who looked like they should be in the day room. Her clothes were clean, her hair hidden under a cute cap, her lips were adorned with lipstick. As I smiled at her, she returned a smile and a question, “Are you the chaplain?” “Yes.” “Can we talk?”
I invited Jan into my office. “Do you think God can show up in the middle of a mental health breakdown?” “Yes.” We talked about how her life, physically, emotionally, relationally, socially had collapsed around her leaving her homeless. Apparently, her family had stolen her wealth, leaving her homeless. “Through tears she said, “The greatest heartache I have is that my family turned my daughter against me and I have not seen her for three years.” She shared with me that she did not have any background in any religious faith. “I was not raised to believe in God. My mother was an atheist. When I had my breakdown, God visited me. I want to learn more about God.”
I talked to Jan about a verse in the Bible that says God will give back the years the locusts ate (Joel 2:25). I shared with her how I had seen God do this for people. I prayed with her a prayer of faith that God would restore her life. I invited her to join our twice weekly Bible studies. She came twice a week for several weeks to eagerly learn more about God.
One Monday morning Jan showed up and announced that she would be moving into an apartment with a patio in about 10 days. A week later she appeared for Bible Study and announced that not only did the apartment have a patio, it had a backyard so she could have a dog! I reminded her that God gives more than we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20)!
A few days after moving into her apartment, Jan called me excitedly to report that her daughter and her were now talking and seeing each other.
We continued to touch base over the next days. I asked Jan what she needed for her apartment. “I need a dresser.” I contacted John Thurston, Chairman of the Chaplaincy Board who is a very active volunteer with the Kiwanis Thrift Store in Carefree, AZ. John located a beautiful dresser. But how to get it to Jan’s house? I contacted John Humphrey, a Chaplaincy Volunteer who had been leading Bible Studies that Jan had been attending, as I knew he had a pick-up truck. In a few days the dresser was delivered. While John was delivering Jan’s dresser he met her daughter. Her daughter asked John many questions about the Christian faith and said she wanted to be baptized. John invited Jan and her daughter to his church. While Jan has moved into her apartment, she returned this week for John’s Bible Study with the clients of the Human Service Campus.
Ronald Friesen © 2018
Chaplain for the Homeless
