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A little over a week ago I met a man named Chuck.
I was on
my home from my small group when I saw someone sitting in the bus stop smoking.
I said hello to the person and asked them how they were doing. He responded and
said that he was fine. I then asked him if he was out for a smoke or if he was
waiting for the bus. –See it was about 8:30 pm and the buses in Lubbock stop
running at around seven. He said he was waiting for the bus so I told him how I
thought it wasn’t going to come because of the time. He had a time believing
that the bus didn’t run anymore, saying that he takes it all of the time. I offered
to let him use my phone if there is someone he needs to call for a ride, or
tell that he can’t make it anymore. But he had a phone he said. He asked me if
I had a car. I told how I didn’t but how my friend (Thomas) does and if he
needs to make his appointment I could probably barrow it to take him wherever
it is that he needed to go. He said how he would really appreciate it.
I soon returned in Thomas car. When Chuck got up it was easy
to tell that he was bad physical condition. He steps were slow and shaky. You
could tell that it took a lot of his strength and energy to merely walk.
Noticing all of this I hurried over to help him in the car. I had to help him buckle
his seat belt because he could reach it himself.
Our destination was a café downtown. On the way there Chuck
told me a little about himself. He’s in his seventies and had recently suffered
a stroke which has been very hard on him. He’s lived in Lubbock for quite a
while but is from Connecticut were three of his four children live. The other
lives here in Lubbock, but Chuck said that he never really sees him. How he
doesn’t want to bother him. Chucks stories were sad. But he seemed excited
about going to this café’. Several times he brought up the time; whether it was
morning or evening. I didn’t understand for awhile why he kept say that. I
thought that he was talking to himself, about if he was supposed to meet the
person at night or in the morning. So asked him if this women he was going to
see was going to be there all night. He said no. So that made me a little
confused. Then as we got closer his question finally made sense to me. (I think
because I finally could tell that it was a question). You see chuck didn’t know
if it was morning or night. He was sitting out in the cold waiting for the bus
because he thought that it was morning. That’s why he was so suppressed about
the bus not coming anymore. He catches the bus just about every day to go and
eat his breakfast at the same dinner.
Now knowing that he was looking for an answer I told him
that it was night. Chuck didn’t think that the place would be open anymore
since it was now about 9 pm. But we were almost there so we drove by to see. It
was closed. I told him that I could just take him back, and that it was no problem.
He said he felt bad he said “for taking my night away.” But I was glad to do it, how I was enjoying
the drive.
When we got back he invited me over to his apartment for a
coke. We spent awhile just talking; mainly Chuck telling me more about himself.
After awhile I told how I should go. But I gave him phone number and told him
he could call me if ever needed any help with anything. Chucks condition really
worries me and he doesn’t really have anyone around to help. He said that he
really liked me and appreciated me helping him.
I told him that I would try and stop by and see him every so often.
I’ve been by twice since then. And plan on going by in a few
hours.
Please keep Chuck in your prayers. He grew up Catholic but
isn’t religious. After we get back from Mexico (I’m going to Mexico City latter
today by the way) I going to try to see if he’s interested in studying the
Bible with me.
I pray that Chuck can learn how great the love of Christ is.
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. I’ve been trying to buy this ticket for awhile now. Well really I had already bought one, but it was for the wrong time. You see a this past week I had been pretty sick but needed to come and buy my ticket because it’s tourist season (not quite the same as duck or elk season by the way… wait … I take that back …it’s pretty much the same) where was I? oh yeah I was sick but had to come to the internet café to the ticket because the prices kept going up and airlines were running out of seats. After I had got everything done, ticket all purchased. I realized that I had got the wrong time. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, but with the time I bought I would have missed Hugh’s wedding … and that was just not going to fly. Long story short had to fight real hard with ALOT of help from Alisha (really I think she did it all 
) to cancel the ticket and I ended up with a cancellation fee
. All that happened on the last day I posted. 
army commando
