Lisa Hulme's testimony from Saturday night.

“The poor you will always have among you.”  Jesus said that.  “If you give a cup of water in my name, it’s like giving it to me.”  He said that too.

Saturday night I had that opportunity to go out with some friends and family and give out to the poor who live among us in Norfolk.  I don’t hang out with poor people but I wanted to change that because I saw that Jesus spent a lot of time with the poor.  My recent prayer has been, “show me your beauty in the people you’ve made.” 

He led me to Jackie.  She was hard to understand at first.  I wasn’t sure if she was inebriated or highly medicated but as our conversation went on, it was easier to understand her.  While she ate her hot bowl of Ziti, I hung around her, wanting to hear about her day.  She was kind to me; I already liked her. 

I noticed her beautiful nose ring and the lovely nose she had.  Wow.  Here’s physical beauty right on display.  I told her, ‘you look like a princess’ she smiled wide.  I found out she was around my age (late forties) and was suicidal.  It wasn’t dramatic when she told me the last attempt was when she tried to cut her own throat.  She was so kind about it as if suicide was her friend and didn’t want to offend her.  We talked some more about her day and then I asked if I could pray for her.  I did.  It was simple. 

I looked up and then looked right into her eyes.  At this time she was crying.  Without hesitation I cupped her face in my hands and then began to wipe away her tears.  I don’t remember what was said I just knew that at that moment I felt the Lord’s presence.  Words weren’t necessary.  I felt her warm tears on my palms and knew that the Lord was near.  The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking.  I feel it.  My heart was breaking.  The cold and callous was giving way to the heat of God’s love.  Perhaps hers was too.

I wasn’t disappointed that night.  I saw beauty, the Lord’s beauty, that night.  I saw him move me.  I saw Him love her through me.  Yes, the poor we will always have among us.  And as long as Christians are left here to do his work, we will have opportunities to love them and them to love us.   Jesus is near.  I think I felt his tears in my hand.