Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: SOUL / SOLE (03/02/23)
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TITLE: Homeless | Previous Challenge Entry
By Ronnie Puckett
03/08/23 -
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He was hunched up on an old blanket outside a furniture store. As if in mockery, a display of plush sofas showed through the big window behind him. Poor man, when did he last sit in a comfy chair?
Dropping some coins in his tin, I went off to do my shopping, and thought no more about him.
I came across him again in the park one sunny weekend. This time he was sprawled on a bench, long legs stretched out. His jeans were the scruffiest I’d ever seen, one sole of his grubby trainers had a hole in it, and the cuffs of his old parka were badly frayed. Straggly hair and an unkempt beard completed his sad appearance.
I murmured “Hi!” as I walked by. To my surprise he returned the greeting.
Should I stop to chat, I wondered? Plenty of people were about, dog walkers, families with kids, so it was probably safe enough.
Anyway, my motherly instinct got the better of me. “Had anything to eat today?”
“Yeah. Had some nosh down the Sally,” he replied in flat tones.
“Sally?”
“Salvation Army. They does free meals weekends for us down-and-outs. Trouble is, they tries to save yer soul as well.”
Seizing the opportunity I said, “Nothing wrong with that. Maybe your soul needs saving.”
His eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Stone the crows! Don’t you start.”
“Too late,” I smiled. “I’ve already started. You know, those Salvation Army people do what they do because they care about you. And so does God.”
“Nah!” The man shook his shaggy head. “Why the heck should the Almighty care about me? Done time for GBH and I won’t tell yer what else. Only been out o’ clink three months. Nowhere to go now, so I sleeps rough.”
Astonishingly, tears welled up in his eyes. “Too far gone for God, that’s me.”
Trying to ignore his unpleasant smell, I sat down at the other end of the bench.
“Nobody’s too far gone for God,” I told him gently. “Know what the Bible says? ‘Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ There you are. WHOEVER!”
“Prison chaplain once read that to me,” he muttered.
Head down, he didn’t move or speak for several moments. I silently prayed for him.
Suddenly he jerked back into life. “Must make a move,” he said and stood up. “Goin’ to the Big City.”
“How are you getting there?” I asked.
“Walk. Mebbe hitch a lift – if I’m lucky.”
I thought of that hole in his shoe and the 16 miles to London. “Here, take this.” I took a note from my purse. “This should be enough to cover the train fare.”
“Cor! You sure?” He blinked in amazement. “You’re an angel.”
Stuffing the money in his pocket, he loped off across the park.
Two years later, my husband, Steve, and I visited London for some evangelistic meetings. We joined the queue filing into the big church. When we finally got into the foyer, two ushers welcomed us. To my embarrassment, one of them stared intently at me.
Suddenly, he snapped his fingers. “It’s you! The angel in the park!”
People began to stare, so he beckoned us to one side. “It’s alright, sir,” he said to my bemused husband. “If it weren’t for your good lady, I doubt I’d be ‘ere tonight.”
My eyebrows shot up in utter amazement. “Goodness! Yes, I recognise you now.”
So this tall man in the smart suit, with well-cut hair and neatly trimmed beard was him, the homeless one, looking at least ten years younger.
“I can’t believe it,” I said. “You - you’ve changed so much.”
His eyes twinkled. “Yep, Jesus has changed me inside and outside. And I’ve found a home – two, in fact. An earthly one and a heavenly one!”
“Wonderful!” Tears of joy blurred my vision.
Steve, catching on to the situation, said to him, “Debbie told me about meeting you in the park. We prayed for you that evening.”
“Well, the good Lord heard you.” He frowned slightly in thought. “How’s about we have a chat over coffee after the meeting? By the way, I’m Sam.”
Steve and I happily agreed. “Yes, see you later, Sam!”
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You never know how one soul may be saved and we may not know in our lifetime. We will one day find out how all our prayers for souls were answered when we arrive at our heavenly destination.
Well done. God bless.
Keep writing.