Over the past few months, I’ve become good friends with a man named Emil. He “used” to be grumpy, homeless, unapproachable, and then, he encountered Love. After getting over my fear of him, I approached him and kept approaching him. He didn’t believe in God, but then, something happened…an answered prayer.
The first time I prayed for him, he mocked me. I didn’t pay any attention. He was on a very long waiting list for a room; until his name moved to the top of the list, he would remain homeless. After I prayed, he had some “encounters” with God (like not dying, etc), and then, it happened. Supernaturally, he was placed in a room, and he KNEW it was God answering my prayer. Has he “accepted Jesus in his heart?” Only God knows. Has he accepted love, friendship, laughter from me? Absolutely! And it just gets better.
A couple weeks ago, he was sharing with me about his love for McDonnell Douglas, an aerospace manufacturer. He places this man high inside his heart. When he talked about him, there was a glow in his eyes, color in his cheeks, a smile on his face, so I ordered him a flight pin that I had found online and couldn’t wait to give it to him, but I hadn’t seen him.
For over a week, I carried this pin in my pocket in hopes of catching him at the bus stop outside of my work. I would go there at his scheduled time, different times…nothing. On Monday, I said, “Okay, God! Where’s Emil? How am I supposed to give him his pin?” Well, God hears, listens, and answers.
Tuesday morning, as I turned the corner towards my work, there he was, turning down the same street! I have NEVER seen him in the morning hours. I have never seen him anywhere other than the bus stop. I was so excited! I rolled down the window and hollered at him. He came to the car and was amazed. He said, “YOU have a car?!!” It was so cute. I told him about the gift, so he agreed to wait for me at the bus stop.
I grabbed Christine (to take a picture of us), went to my office to grab the pin, and went outside to surprise him. I sat down next to him, showed him the pin, and read what was on it, which I totally forgot to write down. He said, “Where did you get that?!” I explained that I had found and ordered it online. It had a plane with “McDonnell Douglas, 1st Year Apprentice” or something like that. I pinned it on him. He loved it!!
He’s so delightful! I’m glad he’s a part of my life. He joked a lot with us…totally different than the man I first saw, the man I first met. When I had first prayed for him, his response to God was, “Yeah, if there is one.” Now, he KNOWS there’s One, and he knows that He LOVES him unconditionally. I love Emil!
Worship Flags and Infinity Scarfs 