Our Daily Process

This past week has been eventful as usually, conversing with people at home, they have askedhow was the week and I can barely remember everything. Yes, I agree with those who promote journaling,you easily forget the wonderful things God does, and that's not a good habit. I did meet an interesting fellow this week, Fidard. He accosted, though politely, as I was visited some friends who I do Bible study with twice a week. People are always saying hi to me, and he asked me if I rememberedhim. Well no, but I love to listen to what he has to say. He begged me to come over, but I told himI was going to travel soon, but no he would have non of it, almost teared up. Although I think he wasa bit tipsy. You can encounter unsobered people at any time of the time, as I said before. So I said I'd try on Friday or Sabbath. I did on Sabbath, and he was glad to see me. I am challenged always by people that approach me. I want to help them but they do not always want to sit and talk, they wantmoney, help, food. They are not selfish, they probably really need it. But I have to be realistic, I am one person, and when I start giving to every passer by, whom can say no to. Once I get to know a person, I know there real situation, I am willing to give. Unfortunately you just cannot alwaystell the fake stories from the real, so I do what I can always do listen and try direct them to more suitable help, like the orphanage, the charity house, etc. Well Fidard was not wanting my helpmaterially, well he never asked that is. He explained to me his situation, out of a job that he hadwith the Catholic Sisters of Charity, and trying to survive on rent from the store shops he rents out.He would repeat statements over and over, very dramatically. This is how we get along, this is how weget along, this is how we get along; in a quiet, sad voice. I could sense he was trying to play on my emotions a bit, but he sincerely continued with the story of how he and his wife got into a heatedargument over money he had earned. He had given her a fifth, payed bills with a fith, and kept the restto buy groceries and whatever else. He went to a bar and she came to get him, and demanded the money.There was some physical violence and then people showed up. Most on her side. Although from his storyshe attacked first. Well he had some wounds to back the story up, but he first told me the story it hadhappened three days ago, on Thursday, but after checking his medical record book, he changed it to almosttwo weeks ago, on a Thursday. That made me suspicious. But I did not bother questioning. He said therewas no peace in his family, he so longed for peace. I had read in Christ's Object lessons about howJesus engaged His hearers in there needs, so I read some texts on peace. He is a Catholic, so the Bibleis a trustworthy source to him. He appreciated the words from John 14 and Jeremiah 29:11. I admitit was not so easy. I was sure I would fail, I would say the wrong thing. Not only am I learning whatit means to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove, I am learning that conversion is a process, notan event. There is the step of baptism, but there are years of study, nurturing, before and after, a processthrough which I find I am still in, we all are in. So I have given up trying to convert people on the spot.My goal is to give everyone the truth that I can through Christ, which in the end I pray will end up in their conversion to the Adventist faith and a saving relationship with Jesus. Can one exist without the other, but I do not believe it will work out well. The Adventist truths are Biblical and if learn themand then decide that they are not required with a saving relationship with Jesus, you are kinda dead in thewater, because the Bible is the guide for learning of Christ! So Fidard and I talked some more. He appreciatedmy reading of the Word, and said I have awakened him, caused him to want to go back to church, to prayagain. I am learning slowly, but surely, that God changes heart, this is the second time someone has saidI have convinced them of something, and I have not tried to by any means. God does it. I prayed before weparted. The tough part about witnessing here on Sabbath, is everywhere pretty much there is TV andit's on 24/7 it seems, like a radio that you watch once in a while. So I either talk with peopleoutside the home or sit in a chair not facing the TV. I do not believe in TV on Sabbath (or really any day forthe most part), but in the interest of people, I will ignore it. Consciously watching it with them,I politely refuse, but if it is while we have a conversation, I'll deal with it. As he walked downthe street, Fidard promised to pray before bed and in the morning, and would be at mass on Sunday, with a definite plan to attend confession. Peachy I thought. I have just taken a backsliding Catholic, backto Catholicism. On the one side I did not wish to discourage his renewed faith in God, knowing that with a growing friendship I can share gospel truths as well as the other missionaries and church members. But also realizing, that maybe God was trying to get him to see the deficites of beingCatholic by allowing this lack of peace to settle upon him and his family. Well by that time, I thought it wise to part peacefully. I dropped off a pamphlet from the French voice of prophecy the next dayon having a happy a family. Pray for him.