Micky and her dog

  Micky is a 21 year old homeless girl living in Portland. She is also addicted to meth. I was not aware of this as she walked up to our group a few week ago. We had come to Portland to serve with a homeless ministry.  My group was supposed to be on a prayer walk over the city. It was during that walk when Micky came up to us crying and asking for money because her boyfriend had beat her and she left him. Obviously a young girl with a dog in such a situation does not want to sleep out on the streets. A girl in the group said she could help her and we walked around for some time looking for a cheap hotel to put her in. We also were able to pray for her and encourage her through such a tough decision she had finally made to start over without this loser. That night we got her a room and said goodbye to her under the assumption she was returning to her home back east the next day on a bus.

  That was the end of Micky until a week later when I returned to the streets, this time handing out food. Our group ran into Micky on the streets again, this time it really looked like she had been beaten. She began to cry when she saw me and said she was not able to take a bus that allowed the dog with her so she went back to the boyfriend and he beat her again. I recognized the huge potholes on her face as signs of meth use and was hurt and angered by her lies and deceit. That night we met up under a bridge where hundreds of people come to eat and find fellowship. This girl was probably just one among many users, and her lifepath is definitely unique to mine. Everyone there had a story to tell, a story that opens up the way to helplessness, addictions, depression, sickness, and maybe even giving up on everything. That can happen when everyone around you gives up on you. Micky was happy enough with her little dog and panhandling for drug money. Maybe she does want to change, but only God knows her heart. Meanwhile I had to force down my judgment and criticism, and just love her. She needed a place to sleep and we helped her. She was hungry so we fed her. She needed love and the Lord was with her as we prayed. So many people need help, so many need love, how am I responding to those needs?

 Lord help Micky turn to you and remember those moments where she felt your love. Keep her safe on the streets at night. Continue putting people like Micky in my life so I may never live by own expectations, but for yours. Risks are worth taking when I know you put them before me!! Amen