FIRST RESPONDERS PRAYER TIME...EVEN ICY AREA!

        Last night we were at a murder site in the eastern portion of Omaha.  No surprise to me.  Several years ago the Lord had me walk in a variety of those areas and praying and looking at the homes and dealing with what the Lord told me to do, where to go.  I've also driven for about 5 years through those areas, also.  NOW, since legally I can't drive anything b/c of the increase of dementia, it breaks my heart a bit.
        Anyhow, when we were told that a man had been murdered, a couple days later we were at that location.  It was snowy and icy all around the street, and very cold.  My husband took me, since I couldn't drive, and he stayed there and prayed and encouraged. [Dave and I have, usually, other God-jobs so we are rarely hitting the road together.  Now he's doing it any time if at all possible at the murder situations.  That's a blessing to me!]
        The amazing piece jumped at us.  When Dave and I got there... a little more than 3 miles from our house... we were among the earliest who had arrived, and so shocked and surprised to see a bunch of guys that walked into the house where the man had died.  It was a broken house for a length of time and he was, according to the news, someone who walked in our town without a place to stay, so the police/news people had said he had just popped in. 

Well, we heard things a bit differently shortly after there. We discovered that the guys were from a strong and special place in Omaha called Open Door Mission.  When one of their leaders spoke to us and said that Derek, who was 55 when murdered, was with their group and had been moving around sometimes to see people who didn't have homes, and he had been in this empty place and had lead some to the Lord.  He had prayed for some of the men.  Anyhow, we don't who and/or why, but he was murdered. The only good thing we know joyfully is that he is in Heaven.
        There was a stretch of time when about a dozen of the Open Door Mission guys had come from that part of town and about a dozen of us... First Responders people... even though the road was icy and hard to walk on ... we stood on a snowy side at a yard portion of another broken home.  Then, after some sharing from them, a couple of our main pastors who are leaders, told the guys to get in the center so we could lay our hands on them when the praying was being done. And to encourage them, even though this situation had confused and confused them.  We saw some tears.   I had a couple right in front of me and I put my arms around them. 

Joshua on the left.  In my heart!!

         When I was putting my arms around, Dave held my 2 canes and held my back so I couldn't fall.  THEN when the time was finished, I grabbed the guy/kid I'd been touching... think he's in his 20s ... and I asked his name.  He said he is Joshua.  So, since I'm reading the portion of the Bible right now, I told him I'd be praying for him.  And I have been!  Won't ever see him again I'm sure, but just lifting to the Lord. 
        When leaving, Dave and I were blessed and encouraged by a few people. 
        Anyhow, last night was cold and sorrowful in a lot of ways.... but the Lord broke into a lot of us and a lot of others in a kind way that night.  Usually, we pray for families, etc., when someone has been murdered.  However, we don't know much of anything about Derek's history, but we expect that he will know family and friends when he's in Heaven. 

FIRST RESPONDERS AGAIN! HEAVY SIGH, HEAVY SIGN!

    A fairly young man, Garion, 19 years old, when pulling into his house area a couple days ago, gang groups shot him, and, about an hour later he died.  Today, when several of us showed up at the house area, his grandma, mom, aunt, sisters, nieces, nephews, and piles of other friends indicated that he had been at a church and now was in heaven with the Lord.

    His aunt, who showed up immediately, stepped forward first, and she

hugged one of our guys who had been her doctor.  I had no idea that this fellow had been a doctor.  They hugged and hugged.  And in the past year I've tried to make sure I have tissue pieces to pass around when they are crying and tears and flowing down.  Shared with several today.  And, at the end of the prayer time and getting ready to leave them so they could be filled with family situation, the lady hugged me and cried onto my shoulder and I was able to hug her and pray for her. 
    I was planning to be heading home, and, when walking up the street to our car area, a long-time First Responder "brother", Dean, about a year older than me, walked up with me and held my hand that didn't have my cane, and he made sure I wouldn't fall on those terrible sidewalks.  I've wanted Dean to come to our house many times, so that he would meet Dave.  Dean lives in a completely different part of Omaha, and I haven't seen him for several months, because he can't drive all this way.  Anyhow, he is a treat!  
    On the news tonight, since a couple of the main ones were there, I hope to see how it was shared.  And, as the family said, Garion is in heaven.  That's what we can rejoice upon.  And he isn't the first one we've been with at these murder sites that were Christians.  I hope to meet them when I'm in heaven, too.  We also hope that the ones who have done the murdering, and end up in prison, that they may turn to the Lord, too.  Our Lord is all we can ever count on, forever and ever.

   

PEACE WALK

Two ladies and pastor opening with prayer.

Went to a special event  only a couple miles from my house. It was referred to as Peace Walk and was drawn together by 2 ladies who had lost family members that were murdered -- mostly brothers or sisters. Overall, there were a  couple-hundred people who were at the park for this event. [BTW, I saw a few of us from First Responders, who also was Barbara, the left side on the photo, and her Pastor, Bruce, a good friend of mine and a great FR leader.]   Many of the people who had arrived were also family members of many people murdered. They carried posters, wore shirts with the photos on them, spoke more and more about their sorrow and serious circumstances.

One man I met, Racine, and spent some time with, who I'd

never seen before, really touched my heart. He was crying.  His daughter had been murdered while sleeping with her man in an apartment. Actually, they both were murdered in the middle of the night and the young family kids, Racine's grandkids, were the ones who discovered them in the morning. It was actually one of the most horrific First Responder events I had attended. I was heartbroken then. WELL, I was comforting Racine tonight; he was so heartbroken he was sobbing on the shoulder of a friend and I, who had just met him, had my hand on his arm.
 

After we talked, and his wife came by and gave him a yellow

rose, he gave it to me. I brought it home. And it has his daughter's bracelet that was passed around and about to everyone.  I actually met him after a kid had handed it to me and I had put it on my wrist, even though I didn't know for sure who she was.  NOW she'll be in my house forever.

 

 Oh, and Racine was singing a song to the Lord

the last time I saw him, the tears flowing down his cheeks. We truly connected. He told me where he lives, and, if I'm ever going through that neighborhood, not far from the park, I'll try to find him.  It was a heart-connecting few minutes. 

Another lady, Terry, whose son had been murdered in March, '08, 3 months before I became involved with FR, we talked momentarily and I took the photo of the poster. Terry told me where she goes to church, and I've definitely known many there for years. I was able to hold her and hug her and pray over her.  

 

This event was heavily on my heart. Heavily. Met so many new people, saw a few good friends, and definitely knew I was supposed to be there. When I left the house, climbed into my car, and started down the street, I felt the Lord touch me and prod me forward.  No questions asked, definitely. 

 

While the walk was taking place on one of our main streets, not long after rush hour, cars honked, people rejoiced, people waved.  

 

 

When I first saw Racine and his wife and a friend holding his daughter's large poster right by the street, I decided I wanted to take a picture.  WELL, to do that I had to back up to the middle of the two lanes on our side of the road.  Kept being sure the light was not green.  And was quite relieved when I got it done and got off the road in time.

 

 

So now....

 

 

 AMEN!!

FIRST RESPONDERS -- & SO COLD OUTSIDE

Just as we began to pray, this was in my sight. 

 Couldn't NOT take a picture.

When I heard about this murder... Milton, 42, who had been stabbed Christmas Eve while fussing with someone in an apartment parking lot ... I wasn't sure at first whether I'd have the energy and guts to go there.  The reason.  It was pushing zero in our weather, and I get so, SOOOO cold.  Also, with all the ice on our side roads, driving up or walking up to the murder site could put me at risk.  Could I not go??  No.  It is only about 1-1/2 miles from my house; this is my prayer responsibility, "my" area.

So, went and was able to park in a lot down the street from the apartment.  Before we could walk up there, several of us had arrived.  Dave, the leader, was concerned about me and my dizziness issue and the ice and made sure the guys were holding my arm and watching me.  HOW NICE!!

When we reached the apartment parking area, we were met by the Pastor of a Methodist church that was below the apartments.  She introduced herself to us.   Then the lady, Ashley, who had been in love with Milton, came out from the apartments to have us pray for her.  Her best friend came along.

In the cold, about 8 of us F.R.s moved in closely together, held hands, and prayed.  Ashley was placed in the middle and we laid hands on her.  She cried and cried.  Then, after we had finished praying for her, she prayed.  She asked the Lord to help her and thanked Him for being her Savior.  We were all so heart-touched by her prayer.

As we were beginning to break away, her friend said that there's a decision being made whether Milton will be buried in Omaha or in Chicago, where he came from.  And, it would be very difficult for Ashley to go to Chicago; she didn't have the money to do so.  Suddenly, I said that I'm a driver, that if she needs to go to Chicago, I will take her.  The Methodist pastor said she would pay for the gas.

SO... if Ashley desires to go, I will drive.

The crazy part?  I was just in Chicago in mid-November with my Bhutanese "family" that needed to see their relatives.  I had not been to Chicago for years and driving up there and around the city "drives" me crazy.  BUT, if that is what Ashley needs, that is what I will do. It's about 450 miles from here, and with the wintery issues, it could take some extra time.   

I'm sure I'll hear in the next couple days and know what I need to do.  IF I'm heading out, I'll holler on FB and my email so you'll know.

Do you wonder why I would be willing?--

Ashley, while crying, said she wants to go to his funeral and kiss him goodbye, one last time.