Laurie Ishii

Her name is Victoria – I met her this morning while I was on my way to the bus stop. She called out and asked me if I could spare a quarter – I had just gotten some change from buying some gum, so I had some coins and gave them to her.

I asked her what her name was, and we started talking – and were still talking over an hour later. I asked her if there was anything she needed that I could get for her, and she said water. We have a food truck by our apartment – they sell some fruit, water, candy etc. so we got her some water, a cantalope and an advocado.

She was so cute, cause she kept apologizing that her hands were dirty and that she didn’t have anything to give me, but she grabbed a couple of pillows from her grocery carts and asked me to sit down with her on the side walk.

I asked her if she knew that she was special to God – and she shared that she sometimes thought that she was ‘nothing’ – she said that she was an alcoholic (although she didn’t appear drunk yet) and she’d been homeless off and on for ten years. She said she was an “Older woman (58 years old) who has three (grocery) carts.”

I told her that God created her for Himself, that He loves her and wants a relationship with her. She was astonished. She said that she was amazed that God saw her as special… it was so sad – she was obviously so lonely. She said she didn’t have any one to talk to – except a male friend who’s locked up.

She kept hugging me, and got very teary eyed… but when I asked her if we could pray she asked me to just say a prayer for her. She asked me all about the Gospel and I shared Jesus with her – but she still wasn’t ready to pray to receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior. I just told her how she could receive Him later on her own if she wanted to.

Well, I needed to go to Rite Aid and asked if I could get her anything and she asked for vitamin B complex, and some batteries, cause she has a television that she can watch for 3 hours on 6 C batteries.

By the time came back from Rite Aid Victoria had moved, and I saw her on Sunset… she said the cops made her move. Unfortunately, by this time – she was pretty loaded. But she still remembered my name, and what we spoke about.

She asked me if I would let her take a bath sometime – like in a week… I told her that I’d talk to Daryl about it… when he got home, I asked him – he didn’t sound too thrilled about it though, not because of anything except that if she’s an alcoholic – she might come over sometime when she’s drunk or at a weird hour or something – and I don’t think our landlords would be happy about that. Plus, we are both very succeptible (sp.?) to sickness because of our own compromising immune systems. So I dunno. We’re gonna be praying about it. Victoria has my number, and she knows what apartment I live at.

Seriously, she’s REALLY sharp – trust me, I’ve encountered and dealt with MANY homeless people – she doesn’t appear to have mental problems, or ‘visitors’ (demons) – but I need to get to know her a little better I think, before I let her in our home. Just using wisdom.

Please pray for her. She’s so lonely – and she needs Jesus. I gave her a bible and she loves to read… you can tell she’s read a lot. I’m going to try and continue talking to her when I can find her, even if it’s just to give her a hug. It was as if she couldn’t stop hugging me – I can imagine that she doesn’t get hugs often. She told me of a man who doesn’t even like to give her her mail because he said that she’s dirty and smells. (Actually, she’s not that bad at all – I’ve seen a LOT worse)

Anyway, please pray for her salvation and deliverence from alcohol.

Thanks and have a great weekend!!!