The most amazing thing took place at the evangelization booth on July the 22nd. I didn’t recognize it as the most significant event, but over the course of the next few days, the Lord showed me in a very personal way that more than all the other events of the month, this was the crowning one for Him. That Saturday, while I was away from the evangelization booth on rounds through the market, a very surprised street person named James approached Fred. He showed him the dirty, wrinkled “Come as You Are” pamphlet in his hand and related the story of how this pamphlet had fallen from the sky and landed on his pile of belongings at a time that he was very near despair.

Byzantine Ceiling
Byzantine ceiling mosaic: “Theological Thought”

Having read the contents of it, the pamphlet gave him hope. In passing by, he noticed that we had a whole stack of those pamphlets on our table and was deeply interested to find out more about TLIG. He grew up catholic, but fell away from the Church at one point or another. He loved Jesus, but related a story about how once a priest had denied him communion and that was when he left and became Pentecostal. As Fred evangelized James, it seemed that all that he was relating to him was being soaked up as by a very dry sponge. One of the things that Fred related to him was the Mass schedule at the local catholic parish. Since this event, it has been made known to me that James is attending Mass daily! He received the sacrament of reconciliation from the pastor, relating all the events that recently took place. The day I came home from our first encounter with James, I was very tired, frustrated and in many ways fed up with it all. When my mother had asked about how things went on Saturday, my response was, “Just a bunch of crazies today!” This hurt the Lord very much and in His own way He let me know about it over the next few days.

James, Teresa, Fred

James came to our evangelization booth again on the last Saturday of the month. He has been helping us to distribute pamphlets and has even boldly stepped up to the free speech microphone to read the contents of the “Come As You Are” pamphlet to the crowds gathered around. He has approached the local social services in town to help him get off the street and seemed much better dressed and cleaned up than the week before. I see him at Mass quite often. He is interested in attending our weekly TLIG prayer meetings and it seems that he will start in August.

We must NEVER forget that the Lord rejoices more at the conversion of a single poor soul that all the other wonderful things he allows to happen in our lives. The Lord is more deeply present in the midst of chaos, dirtiness, and trial than he is when we find ourselves standing in the presence of earthly kings and queens. The Lord lifts up the lowly and brings down those enthroned in the heights…better to stay near the ground! smiley

Your brother in Christ,

Zigmas Kungys

With Thanks, extract taken from the August 21, 2006 American Association for True Life in God – Northwest Region Newsletter.

James, Teresa, Fred

My Kingdom will be taken away
from you to be given to a poor people,
a people who could not tell
their right hand from their left and
it will be to these wretches
I shall confer My New Name
heart

Jesus symbol

(September 18, 1990)

James, Teresa, Fred