Daniel

Last night was my monthly roster as Street Chaplain. I always get excited, sometimes apprehensive, sometimes even feelings of negativity come on me before an all night ministry on Perth's entertainment district. The day before the night is prayerful and reflective. Tentatively you pray to God, after three years of seeing prayers powerfully answered (often not the way you expected) you are wary about what to pray for. You learn to pray specific rather than vague.

I had asked for souls. The opportunity to help people and show love. And maybe get to witness of Christ's love and work on the cross. Of Christ's forgiveness.

As three Chaplains ventured out the small group made a good team. Each had true faith, one from Kenya, one from Scotland and one from Australia. the Body, the church. Before long we were talking to a group of young Aboriginal men. No doubt many would judge them (harshly) and in turn receive back what they were giving out. Thanks to Christ, none of that was in our little church. We stopped and chatted with the boys, they were friendly, even respectful of us being Chaplains. One was in trouble with the police for street drinking. The police doing their job and giving a move on notice and warning. The work of the police in Northbridge is demanding and thankless. They do an amazing job.

The young man was Daniel. Something clicked between us. I chatted with him shook his hand, He was a stocky powerfully built young man, yet I could see his heart and I think he saw mine. He warmly introduced himself to all three of us and encouraged us for what we were doing.

We moved on.


Not long after whilst walking towards the Court Hotel, a young man came up to us and asked what Street Chaplains were? I sensed he was either homosexual or bi sexual and therefore I sought to be as warm and as kindly as I could be toward him. He asked a few questions about our religion. I told him I didn't have one, I told him I have a relationship not a religion. I follow Jesus. He liked that, most people are not negative towards Jesus, rather they are negative towards Religions that have judged them. He then admitted to me he was bi-sexual and said no doubt you will curse me now. I smiled and said why would I do that? I am no less guilty of sin than you are.

We kept talking and I saw my opportunity to tell him I had been abused as a child, that forgiveness had played a key role in releasing me from pain and sin. Many homosexual or bi -sexual people have had a similar experience in their infancy. You throw it out there like fly fishing never knowing what you will get. He was enthralled by my concept of forgiveness freeing us from bitterness. That my forgiveness does not condone the guilty member but frees us from their continual entrapment. He liked it, he liked it a lot. We shook hands and off he went.

Immediately three Chaplains prayed in unison under a tree for this man, that God would take the seed and help it grow. We were all blessed to feel Joy at that moment, Heaven was pleased.

Druing the night we found ourselves often at the right place at just the right time, a helping hand, a kind word, a prayer. Not coincidence but God incidence. The most powerful  God Incidence, however, was yet to occur. Later in the night we bumped into Daniel again. He was now crashing his powerful shoulder into people he passed by, his own inner anger surfacing towards others. We stopped and chatted, he calmed and opened up to us. He even told me he used to go to church with his mother all the time, and that he missed it now. He asked for my number, I pray he calls.

As the curtain drew to a close on God's stage, we arrived at the police station to hand in our little backpack. I had offered to take the wonderful Kenyan Chaplain home as she lived north of the river. As we handed our gear into the station a young African man was asking the police to give him a lift home (not part of the Police's responsibility). He lived in the same area as the Kenyan Chaplain. I knew God was saying "give him a lift home" I walked up to him and said we are headed that way we can take you home, we are Street Chaplains. He was thankful, so to was the on duty police officer.

As we left the station I asked the young man what His name was? He responded..."Daniel"