Salvatore was a neighbor of mine who lived across the street from me. I never knew him all that well however, because like most Italian migrants, he and his wife were hard working people. They seemed to work long hours, including some weekends. There was also a hindrance in communication between us, with me not knowing …
Yearly Archives: 2009
Looking into the eyes
House to house ministry was never easy work for me to engage in at any time, but I always found it much more difficult when looking into the eyes of people who expressed grief and sadness. The first time I spoke with Jillian I detected such sadness but she gave nothing away. She told me she had, “sort of heard of …
Because I feel dirty
Sometimes when I door-knocked a person’s home it was as though he or she was expecting me to call and as a result I was often immediately invited inside. Gordon did this one morning and no sooner had he done so, when his partner Jill asked, “How much do you people charge for somebody to …
I’m free. It’s wonderful!
It was a lovely sunny afternoon, towards the end of winter, when Amy came to her door. Looking to be in her mid to late eighties, she stood in amazement as I explained to her why I was calling and she listened intently as I shared with her a little of my experience of the reality and …
I hope not
Josie was in a wheelchair the day she came to open the door to me. She was a thirty-three year old Italian lady who lived with her mum and forty-three year old sister. It was not readily apparent why she was in the chair but it certainly looked as though this was a permanent situation for her. …
I have to have time to make the choice
The first time I met Len he spoke inside behind his security door for ten minutes, then he stepped out from the door onto the porch and we spoke for another ten minutes or so, then he called for his wife May to come and meet me. May was very happy that this event was taking place …
He’s never stayed that long speaking with anyone before
A prominent part of my time as a community minister was taken up with helping substance abusers and it was not long before I observed the principle of the law of attraction being outworked – like begets like. One day I was at Gary’s house (Refer to my post, You need Jesus Christ.) giving him some biblical encouragement when eighteen year- old …
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I’ve always remembered the advice mum gave me
Initial contact was made between us after both John and his wife Rebecca viewed a thought-provoking, thirty-second television message which asked questions about life after physical death. John phoned the church the morning after its presentation and asked if someone would come and visit with them for further discussions. The day he phoned was Anzac Day …
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What’s the matter with your eyes?
The first time I spoke with Helen it was not face to face. We communicated through her locked security front door. Helen told me she’d had a stroke some thirteen years earlier, leaving one side of her body paralyzed and she was now confined to a wheelchair. But on that particular day she was in …
I asked him to name the one desire of his life
My church received a phone call one afternoon from a lady, wanting to know if there was someone who would sit and talk with her brother, who was a drug addict. She said he was living with herself and her husband but the situation was becoming increasingly problematic for them all. Apparently he was on …
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