HALLELUJAH... I've finally done something I can consider brave in the faith!
As many of my friends and family know, I'm an enrolled member of the Salvation Army (or a "Soldier" as we're called). It's so easy to enjoy the high level of corporate and community respect that our forefathers of the faith so selflessly sacrificed their lives to obtain.
Tonight I tasted a little of what they so boldly did in years gone by.
10pm Thursday night... hot and dark in restless Dubbo
Now you may or may not know that I have an indoor cricket side -
THE SALVOS. We'd just finished our nightly game (which we unfortunately lost), and I headed across town to drop off my workmate and teammate Brad (
http://thebradz.blogspot.com) at his house.
Then on the trip back to North Dubbo where I live, I saw a young aboriginal lady of plump proportions dragging a large suitcase along the side of the highway.
Listening to my Christian CD, my Salvation Army emblem adorning my smart sport uniform, with the words "
Heart to God, Hand to Man" splayed across the back... I drove past.
Not much further down the road, my heart sank and guilt rose up inside as I realised how hypocritical those actions were. I realised the danger... heck more than 30 houses were burnt down in West Dubbo in the past 12 months. Countless robberies, car thefts, knifings etc permeated the recent history of this wild, lawless suburb we upper-class refer to as "Vegemite Valley". Dubbo is renowned throughout the state as a "crime hotspot" - possibly the worst in the state. Even emergency vehicles get pelted with rocks and bottles while trying to assist the residents in this slum area.
But despite all this, I could go no further, so I spun the car around on the highway and headed back towards where I had seen the girl.
She was still plodding along... downhill and looking very tired.
There were no cars behind me so I pulled up in my lane next to her and wound down the electric window and asked "Would you like a lift?". Her reply was convincing as she took a big breath, followed by a deep sigh... "Oooh, that'd be great!"
"Okay, I'll pull over and give you a hand."
Getting out of the car I threw her heavy suitcase in my handy station wagon, and she must've noticed my tshirt, which prompted her to say "The Lord must be looking after me today".
We had a good chat and she told me she had to "get away from her mother, because she poured hot water over her". She was going to stay with her grandfather for the night and was headed to Bourke the next day.
Then she gave me some dreaded news, the first part of which I half expected. "My grandfather lives in West Dubbo...", but the news got worse "but I'm not sure where."
Crikey! I thought, how on earth are we going to find a house at 10pm at night, in the dark, with no idea of which street, number or landmark - without getting knifed or pelted with rocks?
I took a breath and remembered who I represented... and found strength in that.
"Okay, we'll see what we can do."
As we drove deeper into the "valley" the signs of disorder got worse. Broken bottles and rubbish littered the road. There was vacant land here and there where houses once stood. Scores of aboriginal youth sat in gutters or stood on the road staring at the car. I felt slightly agitated and nervous, but comfortable at least that my passenger was "one of them".
At one point I had to stop dead on the road where a dog stood dopily in front of the car staring at the headlights, while around 6 young boys eyed off this white guy in the shiney car. I hurried around the dog and kept moving.
Finally we decided we had to ask if anybody knew her grandfather and where he lives. Even now I can't quite remember what his name was, but something like Noeley Gillins.
I saw a large aboriginal man walking in the middle of the road down a cross-street, so I turned the car and pulled up next to him.
"G'day mate, do you know Noeley Gillins... where his house is?"
Staring down at me he grumbled "Yeh, right dere mate" pointing to the house on the corner right beside us! The young girl exclaimed "oh it is too! I was right..."
(Thank you Lord!)
We drove up the drive as far as possible, but the gates had been ramed by a car and damaged, so we couldn't go right in. Parking half on the street we both jumped out. I locked the car, but later realised the windows were down anyhow! :D
There was a bed made up in the yard on the other side of the broken gate... and I joked "Aw look, he's got your bed ready!" She laughed.
The reunion was emotional - this was a close family. An uncle came out to see who owned this flash car in the driveway. The girl said "G'day uncle... it's ya neice!".
During the ensuing hugging and talking, I noticed a wobbly, unstable figure staggering across the road towards us. He wore only shorts and thongs, and his upper body was covered in white medical patches and bandages. His elbows, neck, forearms...
"Eeeeeeeeeeh sis!!!!" was about all that was said as the young girl and he rushed to embrace. They were brother and sister.
After she told them the story of what happened on the road, her uncle invited me in. Looking at the crowd in his front lawn, I decided to decline and told them I needed to get home to my wife and kids (true enough - but a handy excuse!).
Meanwhile, the brother (rather intoxicated) grabbed my hand and started telling me how much he appreciated what I'd done. We stood there for what seemed an eternity as he repeated the same things over and over... how he loves his sister and "anybody touch her and..."
He introduced himself as Drew, and told me I was brave for bringing this nice car down into this area. He also said he wanted to repay me. I said, "sure mate, seeya Sunday!"
"Wah? You want me to come to church?" he asked with a joking tone.
"Yeh mate, why not!" I challenged.
"Righto" he assured me
While I left him with the challenge, I'm not sure he'll remember a word of it in the morning. But who knows what seeds God plants in the hearts of men. He can take a heart of stone and turn it into softest clay... and tonight I felt somewhat shaped in the hands of the Potter myself.
Although I made great haste in finding an exit from this maze of crazy streets, I smiled and felt truly blessed for the experience.
When I think of the fact that this lady had already walked about a kilometer, and still had at least 2, maybe 3 kilometers to walk in the dark... with no idea of where she was going, I can be sure God chose me at that moment - what an honour! He challenged me with a task, and I accepted. I thank the Lord for that challenge, and look forward to serving Him even more, with even greater demands of sacrifice.
Lord, tonight I thank you for the opportunity that YOU gave me. I thank You even more for the wisdom and strength to make the right choice. I cherish You Lord, and never limit You to the ways of man. Just when I think I understand, You present yourself in the most mysterious of ways... sometimes in the darkest places.
Lord, continue to shape me. Don't let my heart set hard as stone... and if it does, break it and mold it again.
Lord, You are the Potter, I am YOUR clay... today, here and now, I reaffirm that I choose to be Your bondservant, doing Your will, for the rest of my life on earth.
I love you Lord!
Amen
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
-- Matthew 25:40
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
-- Isaiah 43:1b-2
Schweeeeet! Can't wait to see this baby on the mantle in our "stadium" :-)