(On Thursday, June 9th, I attended my grandkids year-end band concert, and missed being on the streets.)
During our prayer time at the Zion Church, we received words of encouragement from Alyssa the leader, who had a vision of the Lord empowering us for ministry. Because we encounter many alcoholics, as a healed alcoholic, I reminded everyone that Jesus heals people from addictions, and to not overlook that prayer opportunity. I was hoping to encounter Charlie, James, and/or Stan again, who I suspect struggle with alcoholism. My faith is very strong when it comes to praying for freedom from that kind of bondage (of course you need people’s permission – you don’t just drop prayer on someone without permission).
Once we were at Portage Place, others joined us, so we were about 30 in all, and divided into 5 teams. I was asked to lead a team but felt I wasn’t ready yet. I was again with Pastor Chris, 2 teenage girls, and a pre-teen girl.
Our first encounter was with a lady with diabetes named Margaret. She had crutches and said she had no feeling of any kind in her right leg as a result of her diabetes. After a couple of card tricks, Chris asked if we could pray for her and she agreed. After prayer, she said her leg was tingling. We saw this as evidence of healing and Chris asked me to pray for her, and she said the tingling continued. We offered to continue praying, but she refused. Chris asked her to stand and see what the sensation in her leg was like, but she wouldn’t. I think she was so surprised by suddenly having some feeling in her leg that she was ‘spooked’ by the whole situation.
As we were leaving Margaret, Chris’ wife and mother-in-law stopped by to get the keys to his car. After first name introductions, his mother-in-law asked if my last name was Bayne. I said it was. She then reminded me that we had worked together 27 years ago teaching English as a second language in Steinbach. TESL is how I earned a living while I was in Bible College (kind of a late bloomer, I graduated at age 45). I hadn’t recognized her, but I thought that was an interesting encounter.
We then spotted a very unkempt man, with one leg, in a wheelchair, pulled-up to a table in the food court. His face, arms, hands, and leg were covered with dirt. We approached him, and he was open and easy to engage with. He enjoyed the card tricks, after which we learned Ron was hungry. Chris and I pooled our pocket change, and I went to A&W and bought him 2 momma burgers and a coke, which is what he said he wanted. While I was gone Chris and the girls prayed that his missing leg would be replaced (grow-out). When I returned with the food Chris was explaining to him that he was just learning how to grow in his faith, and that the fact that his missing leg didn’t appear was no reflection on Ron, but rather on Chris’ faith (we are taught to never blame the person, or impose any guilt or shame, and of course we don’t blame Jesus) Chris ended by confirming God’s love of Ron. I asked if we could pray for his other leg. He was wearing shorts, and his leg around the knee area was covered with scabs and open sores. A few inches below the knee he had bandages down to his ankle. He said, “No need for prayer, that leg was good, used to be a lot worse, swollen to double the size.” So we left him to enjoy his hamburgers, as we never force prayer on anyone.
We then had several mini-encounters with people, where we affirmed people of God’s love for them. Some rejected us, others were just not willing to engage. Other teams were occupied praying for people in the food court so we decided to walk down to Central Park. I bought a food take-out to give away as we left, and asked the Lord to lead me to someone hungry. At the park, the police were in the process of arresting someone who was very drunk. When they left we approached the tables where the drunk person had been, but the people seated there were too upset by the arrest to engage with us. Chris entertained some 10-year-old boys with card tricks, and the 2 teens approached a lady seated alone at a table.
The lady’s name was Cathy, and she was very talkative but very delightful. It was hard to say anything to her because she talked non-stop. It was humorous to watch Chris try to interject her conversation with words about prayer, or healing. She is 52, she lives nearby, she is in the park to meet a friend, she likes to sleep from 4 am to 4 pm as it keeps her out of trouble. She doesn’t drink, do drugs, or steal, she had just been to the Doctor and on and on. She was very easy to listen to, it’s just that she never stopped talking. When she said she had epilepsy Chris jumped-in with a request to pray for her. Her response was, “I don’t need prayer for my epilepsy, I have meds for that, but I do have pain on my left side from my fingers to my toes, especially when I get cold – you could pray for that.” So Chris and the girls prayed for her left side and interjected some other prayer requests that came out of her chatter. We don’t know if she was healed or not – maybe we’ll see her again next week. I offered her the food I had bought, she took one look at it, and said she had lots of food at home. The girls each embraced her as we left.
It was now 9:30 so I was heading back to PP to meet Lorraine who was my ride home. I still had the food to give away. I prayed again for someone to give it to. As I approached PP there were 5 people sitting outside, and I asked if anyone was hungry. All 5 of them said yes and made a dash towards me. I gave it to the first person to get to me, and I noticed, as I left, she was sharing it with the others.
I never did see Charlie, James, or Stan – maybe next time.