Masking the Pain
The Lord did HIS work last night on the bus! He sent just the right people! We met lots of new faces. Abby, Chris, Ronnie, Gina, Elise, Malcolm, and Nicky are a few of the names. Nicki is pregnant. Please pray for her. She is trying to make good decisions. Gina and Elise stand out the most from the evening. Gina was out holding a sign and panhandling for money. We offered her some pizza. She came over and hung out with us for quite some time. She has HIV. She is an alcoholic. She has done lots of drugs in her life but says she “just sticks with alcohol now.” Her 24-year-old son is on the streets with her as well. He is addicted to Meth.
Gina explained she has had HIV for 18 months. She is trying to maintain her health. It is quite dangerous for her out on those streets. Would you please pray for her? Pray that she will call us! We can help her get some good care and get back on her feet to help her with life. She has to want it. She says she loves Jesus. She blared her Christian music the whole time we talked with her. She continues to mask the pain of her life with alcohol. That will never help. Please pray for Elise. Where do we begin? This is so sad to see. She is 20 years old. She tried methamphetamines for the first time two months ago. It has a hold of her now. She still is a beautiful young lady. She has her whole life to live. She has a four-year-old daughter whom she has not seen in one year. She gave birth to her at 16 years old. Elise was out visiting some of her friends on the streets. Her friend was on the ground high on fentanyl. She was hunched over the whole time. We were talking, and every few minutes, she would stare at us and then go right back into her near-comatose state. Please pray for her! Please pray for Elise. She says she wants to go into a rehab facility that we offered her. She has already made contact with us. Please pray for her to follow through with her decision. The Lord can change her life. Please pray for all of the others we encountered last night. The Lord Reigns!