Looking Back

Dealing with Street People and such

Yesterday, I went to the methadone clinic again as well as to the train station.  It was different in that we went much earlier.  There were four of the members from the Canadian YWAM team: Kyle, Christine and Kate from Canada and Joanne from Korea and three Ukrainian friends; Gena (an ex-addict and my hero), Vika to translate and Julia. 

 I met the Canadian team at the YWAM boat at 0845 and we headed off to Shulovska.  We met up with Gena and Julia shortly before 10:00 and Vika joined us a little later.  There were a lot more addicts to talk with and invite to Coffee House.  It went pretty well for a while until the director noticed the crowd outside the gate and shewed us away.  We have a plan for how to attract these addicts.  Many of them recognize us and we have been making friends. 

 I was struck by something there.  I was talking to a guy who has been coming to the clinic for like 8 years.  It is not getting him off of drugs.  Now he is addicted to this form of modified morphine that they use to help the addicts down.  We asked about it, how it made him feel and such.   He said, its like water, I need it to feel okay.  It just shows again how just trying to deal with physical issues alone, doesn't free a person from addiction.  We are hoping that Alexander will join us at coffee house tonight.

Next we headed over to the train station but we saw very few homeless people. Gena speculated that they had found some place cool to sleep off their morning binge. When we finally did find a group trying to get out of the heat by hanging out in a tunnel, I was confronted by a number of things.  First it was difficult for the girls with us, as the guys kept making unwanted advances but I was glad they were there as they could minister to the women who were in this group.  Second, I was struggling with their requests for money.  They said it was to help the invalid in their group.  She was missing most of her leg below the knee.  But she wasn't asking for the money they were saying she needs bread, medicine and a prosthetic limb.  This may all have been true, but I noticed they had bread and vodka, and we brought medicine.  I could see they were trying to manipulate us.  But I am still left with wondering about their physical needs. 

 Finally when we did our debrief, Gena brought up some interesting things.  He noted that many of the men were veterans of the Soviet war in Afghanistan.  Gena said some of them had been taken directly from orphanages to serve in the army and fight in Afghanistan. When they came home, they were treated as traitors.

Additionally Gena pointed out that the reason they keep going off by themselves while we were talking to them, was that they had tears in their eyes and were struggling with being ministered too.  I am glad Gena was there to help fill us in on some of these insights. 

 I know that God wants us to care for the widow and orphan.  But I am still trying to see how to help these people without causing them to continue in the lifestyle they have either chosen or fallen into.  I know God wants better for them.  That is why we want to get them into a rehab center.  We want them to meet Jesus and to learn how to live in the new life.

So this evening I am off to Coffee house to lead a discussion group amongst the addicts and those serving tonight.  It should be a real blessing and I expect as usual, God will manifest himself to one or more of these addicted people to lead them into freedom!

Blessings,

Alan

I had posted this back in 2010 via FB but they discontinued that blog equivalent but occasionally they pop up and bring back memories.  I am struck by how different our lives were then.  I don't regret the change, but sometimes I look back and just say, "Oh God, You were using us in ways we couldn't have imagined." I'm in a new season where I preach every week and I get to minister to people at my day job at the water store.  So in some ways our lives seem more ordinary as we enter our 70's but I am still blessed to know what God can use us as He does.

Enjoy!

Dealing with Street People and such

Yesterday, I went to the methadone clinic again as well as to the train station. It was different in that we went much earlier. There were four of the members from the Canadian YWAM team: Kyle, Christine and Kate from Canada and Joanne from Korea and three Ukrainian friends; Gena (an ex-addict and my hero), Vika to translate and Julia.

I met the Canadian team at the YWAM boat at 0845 and we headed off to Shulovska. We met up with Gena and Julia shortly before 10:00 and Vika joined us a little later. There were a lot more addicts to talk with and invite to Coffee House. It went pretty well for a while until the director noticed the crowd outside the gate and shewed us away. We have a plan for how to attract these addicts. Many of them recognize us and we have been making friends.

I was struck by something there. I was talking to a guy who has been coming to the clinic for like 8 years. It is not getting him off of drugs. Now he is addicted to this form of modified morphine that they use to help the addicts down. We asked about it, how it made him feel and such. He said, its like water, I need it to feel okay. It just shows again how just trying to deal with physical issues alone, doesn't free a person from addiction. We are hoping that Alexander will join us at coffee house tonight.

Next we headed over to the train station but we saw very few homeless people. Gena speculated that they had found some place cool to sleep off their morning binge. When we finally did find a group trying to get out of the heat by hanging out in a tunnel, I was confronted by a number of things. First it was difficult for the girls with us, as the guys kept making unwanted advances but I was glad they were there as they could minister to the women who were in this group. Second, I was struggling with their requests for money. They said it was to help the invalid in their group. She was missing most of her leg below the knee. But she wasn't asking for the money they were saying she needs bread, medicine and a prosthetic limb. This may all have been true, but I noticed they had bread and vodka, and we brought medicine. I could see they were trying to manipulate us. But I am still left with wondering about their physical needs.

Finally when we did our debrief, Gena brought up some interesting things. He noted that many of the men were veterans of the Soviet war in Afghanistan. Gena said some of them had been taken directly from orphanages to serve in the army and fight in Afghanistan. When they came home, they were treated as traitors.

Additionally Gena pointed out that the reason they keep going off by themselves while we were talking to them, was that they had tears in their eyes and were struggling with being ministered too. I am glad Gena was there to help fill us in on some of these insights.

I know that God wants us to care for the widow and orphan. But I am still trying to see how to help these people without causing them to continue in the lifestyle they have either chosen or fallen into. I know God wants better for them. That is why we want to get them into a rehab center. We want them to meet Jesus and to learn how to live in the new life.

So this evening I am off to Coffee house to lead a discussion group amongst the addicts and those serving tonight. It should be a real blessing and I expect as usual, God will manifest himself to one or more of these addicted people to lead them into freedom!

Blessings,
Alan

Gena talks to some former addicts