Well, once upon a time......
The year...1998 / August.
I had just started full time ministry with Gadsden Vineyard Church.
I was clueless about what to expect being at the church every day. It was the first time in Gadsden Vineyard's history that the church had two full time ministers. We were just kind of hanging out around the church praying and waiting for direction.
I received a call from a friend who asked me to join him for a worship meeting at a place called RAPHA. Aha! A mission.
He explained it was a drug and alcohol rehab but the focus of the program was Christian.
Asking where this Rapha was located, I was surprised to find out that it was only about 2 miles from where I lived. In fact, I had driven by the place for a number of years, but never knew that it even existed.
It was a Monday morning, as I turned off of Highway 77 to make my way to Rapha.
At one point the paved road ended and turned to dirt. I'm thinking to myself, "They could kill me and no one would find the body until the spring thaw." Eventually rounding a curve, there before me lay the compound. I was impressed by it's look. Very peaceful and serene, it looked like a place where someone could recover from addiction.
My history with addiction, at this point, was ZERO.
I knew nothing about addiction. I had been around plenty of drugs and alcohol during my "band" days. I was usually the designated driver that got all the members of the band home safe and sound. But my own personal experience with drugs was zero.
In fact, I had developed a cold-hearted attitude about people who used drugs. To me the use of drugs / alcohol was a 'choice' a person makes. You either choose to use or don't use. I was ignorant to the truth about addiction. God was fixing to turn my little world upside down.
We made our way into the chapel to set up. Guys began to come in and take their places among the rows of chairs. These were kind of hard-core looking men. I tell people that my first impression of them was that they had killed their parents.
My friend began to speak and we began to play. It was terrible! We played, the guys just sat there staring at us. We played, they didn't sing. We played, they sat with arms folded. I told myself, "When I finish, I'm leaving and I ain't coming back." I was fully satisfied that I had done the "Christian" thing and gave of my time to help the poor addict and alcoholic. Talk about Pharisee......I was number one with a bullet. God was about to rip off all my religious robes and notions.
I was packing up my gear when one of the men walked up to speak to me.
Big man...
Red hair....
Huge hands. He stuck one out for me to shake and he said, "Thanks for coming out."
I responded with, "My pleasure."
He looked at me and said, "I guess you wonder why we didn't sing, didn't you?"
To be honest, I lied to him.
"No...I didn't give it one thought."
What he said next was God speaking to me. No one will ever convince me other wise.
"You see, we get all these people coming out here. They do programs and teach and all manner of stuff. But no one ever takes the time to know us. Know our names. Know a bit of our history. They blow in here and then blow out. We just kind of figure if they don't have time to get to know us, then why should we participate in what they are doing. Seems like they do it to make themselves feel better. Anyway, I hope you come back."
There were those words....."I hope you come back".
I knew that I knew that God had laid before me something He desired for me to do. God has literally spoken through this man and now direction was laid out as to what I was to do. I had to come back.
I shook the man's hand and smiled.
"I think I'll be back." And I did return.
I was to return day after day to Rapha for the next 6 years as a volunteer.
I did whatever they needed to be done.
Taught morning classes. Taught afternoon classes. Taught night time classes. Drove out to the camp just to hang out with the guys. To get to know their names and their stories.
Started a church service at the Vineyard specifically for the Rapha guys and anyone else in addiction.
The focal point of God's call on my life was directed to Rapha on that day in August of 1998.
Have a great weekend....
Stay cool....
God on you....
mb
No comments:
Post a Comment