Amazing Providence

The last few days have been pretty incredible, and Pictured. They have brought some great landmarks in this journey of life and faith and service and seeking. But difficult to fit into a blog. :)  Here's a try though - First off, Friday night we were waiting outside of a little diner for some old high school friends of Ali's that we had arranged to meet up with. A man walks up to us and starts spilling out his story starting with his recent suicide attempt in a grocery store that made the paper. His name is Odair, he's 24 years old, addicted to drugs, and has been living on the street for quite a while. There wasn't much to say to Odair's intro other than, "Well... you hungry?" So we had one more for dinner.

                                

Barbara, Odair, Mark and Ali

As we talked we asked Odair, 'So, what are you really after?' He claimed that what he most wanted was a rehab program that he could get into. We talked for a bit to get an idea of how real this claim was - 'You sure??  Rehab is rough!  I could go to work on that, but there's no point if you don't really want it...' - He insisted that he wanted to change, and so the calling began.

So about the providential- Friday was the day I started working on developing the purpose statement and objectives of the program for the unemployed project that has been under discussion. Also a wonderful girl named Barbara was visiting us on a break from a seminary up north. Earlier that day Barbara had been telling us about a residential rehab clinic in a neighboring city that might be a good contact for us in the future. Suddenly it was the future. :)

After about 20 minutes of calls, Barbara had the director of the program on his cell and had gotten a green light on Odair entering the program.  The plan was for him to enter the program the next day, so after dinner we went to our place, and Odair took a shower and slept the night on our sofa.

Saturday morning we called to confirm that we could take Odair to his new home and we learned that he could go, but only after taking a TB and HIV test.  He also needed a police report.  There was no way to do all this Saturday so I told Odair he would have to take care of himself 'till Monday morning.  So, Odair had breakfast with us, then was off on his way.  We didn't know if we would see him again or not.

Monday morning came and Odair didn't disappoint!  He was there and ready at 8:30 .  In a miracle of the social health care system (no joke), we encountered a manager who changed the blood sample collection scheme to accommodate Odair that day, and and we experienced an unthinkably empty waiting room that packed out with other patients arriving right after I was attended to.

Amazed that the Lord had seen us through this process in a single day, we jumped in our car with Odair and headed off to the rehab facility.  Once we arrived we were amazed!  The location was perfect (middle of nowhere, with nothing to run away to) and the director was inspiring.  He is a pastor who is passionate about the power of the Lord to restore the broken.  

The program started about 3 months ago, and is what I would dream of our program for the unemployed becoming.  Beyond this, they are waiting on the Lord in expectation of the further help they need, and I am pleading that the Lord would help me find how to live out this vision of ministry.

How wonderful is this God of ours?!  I was helping Odair, but in the end God was leading me straight into what I had been seeking from Him.  It didn't come in the form I was expecting it or planing it.  Now I am praying about how I can serve and help further establish this existing program.  I will be talking further with the director there, Loris, tomorrow.  Please pray that the Lord will continue to guide this development!  Also pray for Odair, please!  He needs courage to stick with this program, and a spiritual awakening for true healing and a financial sponsor for the program he is in.

Okay, so I try to have a "short blog policy," (looking out for you Bobby Haring, the pic is for you) but some blessings don't fit as well as others.  Thanks for reading and sharing our joy with us!