…and Moved into the Neighborhood.

Picking up from the 3/20 post The Word Became Flesh… (click if you want to read it before continuing)

I have been really struggling on what to say and how to continue telling this story about how we met Frank and his family.  The last thing I want to do is to hurt anyone by my words or release any confidential information.  So, I will not give many details, but will tell what I feel comfortable with until I can talk with Frank and his family.

That night, Louis and I went up to the hospital, just a couple of miles from where I live.   Thankfully, it was close since Frank had been shot 9 times!

After praying for wisdom, Louis and I walked into the Gateway Building (like a lobby) of MCV, now VCU Health Systems.  I’m not sure about Louis and how he was feeling, but I was feeling a bit out of place and nervous.  The lobby was FULL for 11:30pm on a Sunday night.  I didn’t quite understand.  Louis and I were the only white people in a lobby full of black people where it was eerily quiet and heavy when we walked in.  Still in a bit of shock, I’m not sure why I didn’t place them with Frank.

But, Louis, having spent many hours and visits in the hospitals with church members, knew what to do.  He introduced himself to the receptionist/guard and we asked for a status update on Frank.  When a short woman beside me, firmly and loudly stated…that’s my son!  What do YOU people want with my SON?!?!?  I quietly and quickly introduced us to her and let her know why we were there.  She quickly responded, Not YOU people!  YOU didn’t help my son!  I assured her that we did and quickly explained again why we decided to come up there.  I gently guided her over to where the others were located, as they looked at us with a bit of distrust.

After praying for some help and wisdom, I calmly introduced myself and Louis.  It was probably helpful that I introduced him as a Reverend!  After learning that they had no knowledge of what happened or if Frank was even alive, we shared with them what we knew….where I lived, the events of the evening, we didn’t see it happen, how we responded, what Frank had said to me, and how he was alive when he was taken to the hospital.  The distrust from the crowd waned a bit.

We just shared that we wanted to be there for anything that they needed.  When one of Frank’s friends said, but you already have done so much.  I explained that we hadn’t done all that much, but that Jesus had done it all.  We also stated that we were there to be with them and pray with them.  Whatever they needed.  When another friend said, so what are we waiting on…let’s pray…as he stuck both hands out to grab the hands of those around him.  Louis led us in prayer for the family, the doctors and medical staff, for Frank, etc.

Although it often felt awkward for them…and for us, Louis and I continued to hang out with Friends and Family for another hour or so before going back to my house.  Some might call it the gift of being present.

Louis and I were up rather late that night…processing, chillin’, decompressing.  I am sooo very thankful for the many many prayers that were offered up for us and for Frank and his family during this time.  I don’t know for sure WHAT Frank was doing that night or WHY someone wanted to shoot him.  I can assume that it was a robbery…but it wasn’t.  He still had everything on him that a robber would want.  And…based on my extensive (HA!) experience, I don’t think a robber would shoot him 9 times!  I can’t help but think it was personal.  We could all probably guess and probably won’t be far off from the truth.  Whatever it was.  I still don’t need to know.

What I DO know is that my God is in control and He loves us more than we can EVER imagine!  I do know that…

…my mom and her friends were regularly praying for me (since January 2007)

….the Lord had introduced Louis and me a month before  (not in July 2007) for a reason.

…my heart had changed that Saturday night for a reason.

…Louis and I were home and cooked out on the grill that night (instead of going out)

…Louis wasn’t outside when the shoot occurred

…the kids were dropped off early from youth group and they weren’t outside

….Louis remembered to cut the grill off

…we were NOT going up the inside steps

for a reason.  There were soooo many things that the Lord did to protect us and to prepare us for “such a time as this”.  All this was done, so that we could be there when Frank got shot.  Remember…no one else responded.  He would have been left to die that night on the street beside my house.  That’s what I used to tell Frank ALL THE TIME…God loves him SOOO much that He did all of this AND MORE.  We had been there…as the feet of Jesus.  Nothing more…nothing less.

I had prayed a year before for the other ½ of my pair…in ministry to Southern Barton Heights.  And God had heard and had answered…in HIS time…His perfect time.

Louis and I have been in the ministry business together ever since!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!