In this backblast, there will be no talk of the work we put in. There will be no witty comments on who did what and what type of NSFW conversations took place. As a matter of fact, mumble chatter was minimal with the exception of our homeless friend that stood posted up against the restroom for the entirety of our time together. I didn’t catch his name but for the sake of this blast, I’ll be referring to him as Paul.
I will, however share with you the PAX that made it out with me on this frigid 7 degree morning who stood witness to the exclamations and uncertainty that this man carried with him. Zillow (R), Masse’, Flow Jo, Handbook, Finkle and BigBird.
Allow me to provide the setup. 0525 and as I make way through the tunnel, there was a man standing alone by the restrooms. Being that it was dark, cold and he was somewhat bundled up, my initial thought was that this was an early riser PAX member, waiting for everyone to arrive. As the rest of us show up and corral together under the bridge, this man makes no motion to remove himself from the spot where he stood. We look at each other and all agree that it was concerning that he was out in the cold, in a park, by himself at hour that most don’t find themselves wondering around…or staying put.
It’s time to get going so we go out on a three lap mosey around the park to get loose and warmup. After lap 1, he was still there. During lap 2, I decide that I may just approach him to see if he wanted to workout with us. After all, most weeks, we share the space with another group. Maybe he was waiting on them. By the time we get close to where he is standing he starts mumbling, shouting, yelling out profanities with a lot of talk of God and Satan and a bunch of other stuff that none of us could make out. It was now evident that this man, Paul, must be homeless and surely suffers from some sort of extreme mental illness.
I’ll admit, my first thought was, “I can’t wait to put this in my back blast.” I would be silly in my approach and make light of the fact that we were all super uncomfortable. But as we were putting in work, mostly quiet, uneasy and anxious, something happened. I began thinking of my good friend, F3 LePew. He is always so brave and compassionate in these situations. I began thinking of F3 and what it is we stand for. I was overcome with sympathy for Paul. He was here since who knows when, who knows why and for how much longer. I felt the pull to do something. But what could I do? It wouldn’t be safe to offer him a ride somewhere. I couldn’t call the authorities for help because, really, he wasn’t doing anything wrong and was there of his own free will. Then it hit me. Something simple perhaps but God put this man in front of me on this morning and the decision was mine to dismiss it or to take action.
Normally, I have to scoot out straight away because this AO is about 30 minutes from my home and I have to hurry to get my kids up, ready and off to school. However, on this day, both kids had a delayed start. I didn’t have anything urgent that I had to rush home for. Furthermore, when I pray, I ask the Sky Q to put me in situations where I can help someone in need. I’m sure He gives them to me every day but I get so consumed with my own life that I’m oblivious to opportunities that may be right in front of me. Well, here was an obvious one.
0615 hit and we circled up once more in the tunnel for COT. We lifted up our intensions for anyone that is struggling with homelessness and/or mental illness especially in these brutal weather situations. We also prayed hard for the Church family. I can’t begin to imagine what Mrs. Anne Church is going through right now. If you haven’t already, give what you can to the cause. Check out the #3rdF channel for more details.
As we all headed for our cars, I had one trip to make. It ended up being at a Speedway to grab Paul a hot cup of coffee, a gas station strawberry/cheese Danish and meat and cheese stick. I drive back to the park and make my way back down the stone staircase. As I approached the tunnel, I could hear Paul still screaming out gibberish and profanities, so I knew he was still there. I was nervous as I got closer to him and I could feel that he was a little uneasy that this stranger was encroaching on his space. I stop about 20 feet before him and place the goodies on a table. I let him know what I have and that it is for him. He stops his senseless rabbling and in a perfectly clear voice says, “sir, is today Wednesday?” “Yes”, I reply. “Sir, is it the 17th?” “Yes,” I reply. “It is January 17th, on a Wednesday.” “Thank you sir,” he says. “Sir,” one last time. “What time is it?” I respond with the time and ask that he take care of himself and told him that I would be praying for him. “Thank you sir, I love you sir, God bless you sir,” he says to me. I mean, c’mon, the guy is standing around on the coldest of days, needing confirmation on what seems so obvious and he says God bless you to me…unbelievable…
I say all of this not to boast or brag about “look what I did,” (as a matter of fact Matthew 6: 1-4 says: “do not to let you left hand know what your right hand is doing so that you may give in secret…”) but rather, being a part of F3 has changed my perspective on life in so many ways. It helps me to be curious and motivated to search for the best possible person that God created me to be. In that vein, it is my belief that we are not put on this earth for ourselves but rather, to give service to others. I’m honored to be a part of our group and blessed to have met with Paul on this day to help me count my blessings.
Love you’s guys and see you next time ITG!!
F3 Louisville 