pray for Ken

Pray for Ken. As I was at Balboa Park yesterday, I knew I wanted to get a long run in (my Saturdays have been long run days as I train for the Detroit Free Press Marathon). But honestly I felt something more needed to be done. As you may know, I have been trying to carry around with me tracts-little Gospels of John. I knew I had one in my backpack...and something just didn't seem right--I needed to get the Word of God to someone. People were doing their thing-touring, going for a stroll, playing volleyball, celebrating grad parties...As I was walking down the path, I ran across a man who had his head down, shoes off with white fuzzy slippers beside, sitting on a bench on the side of the path. It was at that moment, I knew God wanted me to talk to this man. I said, "Hey man-how are you doing today?" It took a couple seconds for him to register that someone was actually talking to him then he proceeded to look up. As I was preparing to get the tract out of my backpack and extra craisins I had...he asked if I had any candy. I said I had these craisins and gave them to him and asked him if he wanted a fruit punch or berry Advocare energy drink..he took the fruit punch. We joked about how it was much healthier than the 5 Hour Energy shot. We ended up talking for about ten good minutes. I noticed people passing by, turning away...yet the conversation that took place is something I will always remember.

This man told me his name was Ken and just came back from Mexico. I kept digging in, asking him questions to get to know him better. He told me he didn't know where his family is and was looking for them but some were in jail and elsewhere. Throughout this all, I noticed the stench--probably from lack of affording a place to shower--it reminded me of serving the gypsy community in Romania on the trash dumps last summer--that God came for those who are literally broken and need help. I complimented him on his hairstyle, telling him that I'm Filipino and can't grow dreads but would love to. The conversation turned into me telling him how Jesus changed my life and I can look to Him no matter what crap happens in my life...He will never fail us. I gave him the tract and he promised he'd read it. I saw he had on a wristband that said God loves him...I asked him about it and I know there is a desire there to serve God. I asked if there was anything I could pray for him for and he said "restoration" and something like peace. He just wanted to die sober. I prayed for him on the spot and told him I'd continue to pray for him. I asked if it was cool to take his picture so I could be intentional in remebering to pray for him...so now I ask you all to pray for Ken and remember him. Pray thay God wouls use His Word even now to speak to him and change Ken's life..showing how much He loves Ken. Pray for the homeless, pray for the fatherless--as we reflect today on Father's Day.

Pray for the man in the wheelchair on the trolley...pray for the single mom selling cookies at the trolley staion with her daughter..pray for the girl working at the coffee shop in downtown San Diego who iss entering her freshman year at San Diego State University: As I got my iced coffee on the beautiful day yesterday was after my long run, I went here to do some devos downtown and relax. We had a good conversation when I bought the coffee and she made a darn good oatmeal/peanut butter/fruit thing, along with my incredible Hawaiian iced coffee. Anyways, I felt lead to give her a tract, as our conversation before took place about college and how she honestly thought she'd go crazy--I said I could relate and appreciate the honesty because my freshman year I went to parties as well and wanted that craziness. I was so glad I had an extra tract in my backpack, so before I left, I wrote a personal note in it and when leaving, told her how great the coffee was and gave her the tract, saying how much it helped me thriugh the craziness of college...encouraging her to use this as a life GPS as college can get rough.

Please join me in praying:

"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." -1 John 3:17-18