I met him yesterday while waiting for a meeting. He was sitting with two dogs and a guitar on the sidewalk at the corner of 28th Street and 1st Avenue next to the Bellvue Hospital, NY. He looked like a bum sitting there and my first thought was to ignore him, but as I waited for time to pass for my meeting I felt the urge to speak to him. After walking pass him a few times I saw two women giving him what seemed to be money which he accepted. Encouraged I walked up to him and offered him a 5 dollar bill. He accepted it gratefully, thanking me. His name was Evan. I noticed his two eyes looked as though someone had hit them hard. They were black and blue and the whites of the eyes were laced with bright red as though bleeding. I asked what happened to his eyes. He said that he and his friend had been beaten up and his friend was presently in the hospital getting treatment. I remembered that there had been another person with him the first time I saw him when I was crossing the avenue. He was from out of state and was on his way back home.
He looked lost and I felt badly for him. Thoughts of my own children, nieces and nephews flashed through my mind. I asked him how he planned to get back home and he shrugged saying he did not know. I took out two more bills and gave it to him saying that it would help him on his way home. I remembered being reminded the day before of the need to speak out for Jesus. I told him that regardless of what happened he needed to remember that Jesus loved him. I told him God cared even though he may not realize it. He looked at me and looked at the tears that welled up in my eyes as I spoke to him. I asked him if he was hungry. He said no he had just ate something. Three young women had come up to him, apparently his friends as they addressed him by name. They said they were hungry in response to my question to them.
I accompanied them to the stand and awaited as they ordered. The vendor asked where is the money. I told him I would pay. He shrugged and served them. I paid him and left for my meeting thinking of the children I had just left and wondering what their parents were doing...if they missed them...if they knew where they were... if anyone cared for them.
He looked lost and I felt badly for him. Thoughts of my own children, nieces and nephews flashed through my mind. I asked him how he planned to get back home and he shrugged saying he did not know. I took out two more bills and gave it to him saying that it would help him on his way home. I remembered being reminded the day before of the need to speak out for Jesus. I told him that regardless of what happened he needed to remember that Jesus loved him. I told him God cared even though he may not realize it. He looked at me and looked at the tears that welled up in my eyes as I spoke to him. I asked him if he was hungry. He said no he had just ate something. Three young women had come up to him, apparently his friends as they addressed him by name. They said they were hungry in response to my question to them.
I accompanied them to the stand and awaited as they ordered. The vendor asked where is the money. I told him I would pay. He shrugged and served them. I paid him and left for my meeting thinking of the children I had just left and wondering what their parents were doing...if they missed them...if they knew where they were... if anyone cared for them.
