An excerpt from one of my "Letters"

 

Hi All: Again, this past holiday in my adopted country of England I had another experience with another person who is in trouble. On Wednesday night, the 23^rd of June 2010. I had gone down to the Mc Donalds in Thornton Heath for supper [sic]. The reason for there is I really didn’t feel like going to a pub that night. Pubs tend to get expensive after awhile. After “supper” I had started walking towards Streatham Hill with the idea I would stop at the park atop Pollards Hill for a period of mediation.

While I was walking I decided to stop for a minute and have a cigarette [sadly I still have a problem with the use of those things]. I had no sooner lit mine when a man came along who was apparently drunk and asked me for one to which I obliged. After his was lit he started talking to me somewhat incoherently. I was soon able to calm him down and was able to learn that he no longer wished to live. Upon hearing this, I quickly dropped my smoke and motioned for him to sit on a nearby wall and talk to me. I had learned his name was Loannis and he was a member of the Greek Church but since the presence of that church appeard to be weak in London and he felt very alone,

He kept saying he didn’t want to live and I, in turn, tried offering spiritual, scriptural and psychological advise. He had told me he was looking for Jesus but was never able to find him. I kept reiterating to find Jesus he need look no farther than his own heart for this is where Jesus lives in all who believe in him and confess his name.

After a bit he said he wanted to go and I asked him if he would like me to pray with him and anoint him with oil to which he consented. So here I am, on the sidewalk of a very busy street in South London [The A23] praying with this man and anointing him with oil. When we were done, he held my left arm gently with both his hands and said, “You are a very kind man” and staggered off. I can only pray when he sobered up he will realise what happened and will hopefully get the help he desperately needs.

All I can say here is good luck, Loannis, wherever you are and you are indeed in my prayers.

After he was gone, I went to the top of Pollards Hill for a period of prayer and meditation. The question I keep asking myself is why me? And why London, especially South London? I know I don’t have the answer to that. This makes the third time in two years something like this has happened to me.

There are some letters I never finished writing. Someday, I will explain why not.

I quit smoking on Decenber 8th, 2014 :D 

Terry