Steve

A few months ago I began going to St. Martin's Community Center, in the inner city of Marion. St. Martin's is a food pantry, thrift store, and soup kitchen which provides much needed necessities of life to many of the people of Marion who can't afford them. When starting their I was told that I would encounter prostitutes, drug dealers, homeless, abusers, alcoholics, and other people struggling with aspects of life. I will admit I was a little nervous about starting, but I knew God had led me to St. Martin's for a reason.

The first day I started serving at St. Martin's I was watched and observed by most people as they were kinda trying to figure me out, but I was approached by one man and his name is Steve. Steve is a BIG guy, he has been an alcoholic for over 6 years, and is quite intimidating when he starts to run at you. He wears a bike helmet almost all the time and a big winter coat. Steve and I had a rough start, but after addressing some limits and lines that he can't cross we have become good friends.

Whenever Steve walks into the community center you know it. He has a loud, deep voice that echoes in the community center. We always share laughs and have conversations, some of our conversations are just goofy, some about how our weeks are going, and sometimes I even get to talk about Jesus with him. Steve tells me over and over that he is broken and there is nothing in life for him besides alcohol. I have tried talking to Steve about how Jesus can fill the voids in his life and how with Jesus in his life, he could feel whole and be whole. Each conversation I have with Steve we take teeny, tiny baby steps, but they are steps. As he begins to trust me more, the more he opens up with me. I may not be the one to lead Steve to Christ, but I pray and hope that I am planting seeds, for God to use in amazing ways.

I care for Steve, I hurt with Steve, I pray for Steve, I can even say I love Steve. I can tell he is going through a battle, a trial in life, but I know God will be victorious. Steve can call me his woman as many times as he wants, he can cuss in front of me as much as he wants, he can talk about how drunk he was the night before and I will still love him I just pray that one day he comes to know Christ and that he knows that others care and love him. Steve is a child of Christ just like you and I, he isn't on a lower level because he is an alcoholic or because he wears the same thing everyday or because he comes to a community center. Steve is a middle-aged man, friend, and brother, and I know God has a plan for him.

(sorry if i rambled)

God bless :)