Sometimes I need to think about and affirm that I do make a difference. When I first met the man in the photo above he would come to our drop-in centre and sit in the corner by the pool table with his hat pulled down over his eyes, not saying boo to a goose, just watching games of pool. One night I went over and asked if he wanted a game. We played in silence. The weeks went by and we always made time to have games. Slowly he told me his name. Then I learned where he worked. Then I learned a bit about where he lived. After heaps and heaps of pool games he cycled out to our Ocean Grove group. He started attending church. He came to the walking group.
Now he comes to the drop-in centre early and helps prepare for the night. Now he comes to the church early and gets the coffee machine and urn going. He wanders around doing odd jobs before church. After church he looks after the doors and I get told off if I interfere. He enjoys the children and they enjoy him. He jokes with people and cares for people. He is a loved member of the church family and doing things in the community. We have been there with him through two redundancies, his dad's death and some illnesses. He still sometimes makes me mad with some of his comments, but he is miles different than he was when we first met. He simply is in a different place, and I helped that happen. Sometimes I make a difference.
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