An odd day on the lot

Homeless in Atlanta, March 2008

It was an odd day on this parking lot in Atlanta. The meal had been served earlier than usual…and the 300 or so homeless had already eaten and moved on…only a few were still hanging around as we handed out toiletries and mittens from the trunk of my car. Just as we started to close up shop, this very shy homeless fellow came up…”He is borrowing my cell to call his family” said Draino…as I looked over at sweet man walking in circles as he talked on the cell…”He is having an operation on Tuesday and he is scared cause he will be going it alone.” I watched this fellow’s back as he spoke on the phone and felt inside how hard that must be to not have family to come with you to the doctor. When he finished his conversation, I offered him some toiletries and mittens. But as I looked up from the goods in my hands, I saw such shyness it overwhelmed me. He could barely lift his eyes to me as he held his head down, hiding the swollen cheek and jaw….”Okay…sure…yeah, I could use some lotion….Mittens?…yeah…thank you …..” he mumbled.

I could barely understand him for the swelling was interfering with his speech. “Hi, my name is Heidi…what’s yours I asked?” He raised his face for a moment and then looked down quickly…”Darrmmmdn” he said. “Daron??”, I asked? “No, Darrroonllmmm” he said a little louder this time…”Darron??, I asked again…”No! Darrrllllll?”…Ah, “Daryl…I am so sorry, I can’t hear well…how are you?” I asked, feeling awful I couldn’t discern what he was saying….and so he told us about how he had gotten his own place for a week, had a job interview on Monday and was having an operation on his mouth on Tuesday. Looking at him, I could only ask, how cool it was that he had his own place already!

“Can I pray with you Daryl?” I asked. He said yes and we prayed. Daryl, Draino and I thanked God for his blessings and asked God to bless the job opportunity and to heal his mouth. And when I opened my eyes…Daryl’s face was completely healed…no swelling, no distortion of his mouth, NOTHING! And when he spoke, his speech was completely clear…”Thank you so much. I think I will go home now…God Bless you.” And off he went. I looked at Draino, stunned by what I had just seen happen…and said “Did you see that? His face was healed right before our eyes???” And inside I wondered…Did Daryl know this? Have I lost my mind?????

Several weeks later, again up at the parking lot….Daryl sought us out…He was so full of joy!!! He told us, that weeks ago after we had prayed with him, he had gone home and gone to sleep. God woke him up and he saw Jesus. Jesus told him “I have healed you. You will not need the operation.” Daryl said he had gotten the job and when he was at the doctor, they confirmed what Jesus had said. His infected, damaged, swollen mouth was completely healed. Since then, he has been telling everyone his story! Listening to him speak with such jubilation, I thought over and over…how cool you are God. This once sad and shy man is now a bundle of joy and praise and you let me be a part of this! Wow!!

Heidi