The dark places

After the incident happened with the two young men getting shot, it had been over a month since I saw them. I wondered how they were doing, so I asked God to bring them around here so I could see them. I didn't have either of their contact information, so I knew the only way I would see them is if they came back here to John DeShields. Last week, I saw both of them on the same day. It was a surprise from God! I was prayer walking and I heard someone yell, "Rachel." I looked around but didn't see anyone. Then the voice said, "I'm up here." I looked but still couldn't tell who it was because I was far away. He said, "It's me, Gabriel." He was in the 2nd story window of one of the apartments. I was so excited and ran over to the window, looking up as I talked to him. I told him that I've been thinking a lot about him and wondering how he was doing. He said his leg was doing better and he is walking much better since he has been going to physical therapy. He was like a different person than the boy I knew before I visited him in the hospital. He was happy to see me, kind and even responded with, "I love you too," after I told him I loved him. I was so excited to see him that I told him I loved him two times throughout our conversation and both times he responded back. The walls were gone. The hardness was gone. Being able to visit him after he was shot formed a bond that was not there before. God blew me away! Later on that day I was driving back to my apartment and I saw the other young man who I will call James. He was the one who got shot in both of his hands. The last time I saw him was when he came to my door with bloody hands. I asked him how his hands were and he said one was worse than the other and they are going to have to do three more surgeries on it. I asked him if I could pray for his hands that they would heal quicker than expected. He said sure. We went to his girlfriend's apartment and and I laid hands on both of his hands to pray for him. This morning I saw him when I was prayer walking and now I can tell there is a bond between us. He said with kindness, "Good morning Ms. Rachel." Most of these young men do not call me "Ms.," they just call me Rachel, so that was a huge sign of respect. I live here with them and serve the guys lunch, but I believe showing up at that hospital was a proving time. It proved to them that I'm not afraid to get into the dark places of their lives and because of this, they have let their guards down. When their guards are down it's so much easier to minister to them. I am so thankful to God for this and I pray for more opportunities to be there in the "dark places."