Bonnie and javateas

This morning Mark Rutter and I went to javateas for coffee and conversation, both of which were excellent. Mark is a great guy with great potential. Its interesting to hear someone reflect on themselves and their dreams and hopes for life improvement post-unemployment. Mark may join the national guard's army or air force band. That way he can get his college degree on the army's dollar. Good idea. He'll make a good high school band director in a few years.
So while I'm enjoying my warm double chocolate muffin and coffee, a woman enters. She is dressed in a long black tee shirt that said "Yay, God" in white. She had very long dark hair and bad teeth. She seemed anxious. She came in and out several times. As we're talking she overhears us. She approaches me and asks for prayer. She also asks to use my cell phone. So, I pray for her, let her use my cell phone, and give her $3.00 for lunch. Her name is bonnie. She is a poor soul in need of healing and help. i prayed that GOD would send people/angels to offer her God's grace and mercy. I pray that she seeks to walk in God's ways and to know God's constant presence and support.
Now, what evolved was a connection with Sara and Courtney, two christians working at javateas. They were concerned about what to do for bonnie. They were, I think, relieved that I was there to help, pray, etc...I told them to refer people to me, to use me as a pastor-in-residence. I think I need to be there every week or every other week as a third place, a mediating place, a front porch point-of-contact with the community. God has been sending me there for over a year now. Every time I ignore the call, something happens there to remind me that it is a place in which God is sending me in order to serve. I've led worship there on a Sunday night. We tried to initiate a Wednesday night conversation time. maybe its time to renew a relationship with them in order to meet people. No matter, its a great place to eat and drink and blog...