My Friend, Orlando

When I first met Orlando (about three months ago), he was wearing some sweet shades. The kind of shades you only see the movie stars wear. Nevertheless, he stood out. He was so drunk this day that he was passing out up against the fence. I tried to talk to him, but he had no clue what I was saying. I told him to come back next week so that we could hang outI started to see more of Orlando, as he would come to receive soup and prayer. He would come and hang out for a little longer each week. He would tell me that he loved Jesus and Jesus loved him. One week we were really close to placing him in a detox for his alcohol abuse. He left before a ride could get there.
This past Saturday, Orlando came and looked especially sick. Although he wasn’t drunk, his whole body was swelling up. I did not want to hurt my friend’s feelings, but I felt I needed to tell him that he was going to die. As soon as I said that, he started to cry. He told me that was what the doctor had told him 2 days prior. I asked how I could help him. He said that he needed to get his documents from his wife in order to be helped at the hospital. His wife lived over an hour away but it just so happened that we had volunteers helping us that day that live in the same city that Orlando’s wife does. BINGO! God had already set up this appointment without consulting my day planner or me. I love it when God does these things!
Before we got him back home he wanted to change his clothes. I asked him “Orlando, why waste any time, let’s get you back home.” He told me, “I want to look good for my wife.” You see, Orlando has been living on the streets for over 3 months. He often told me how much he loved and missed his wife. He hadn’t taken a shower or had a place to lay his head during that time. His clothes smelled and so did his body. I felt terrible for even asking him to hurry up. He put on a suit jacket and some nice pants that we gave him. He looked sharp!
Before they left to take him home, he looked at me and said, “You are my angel, God sent you to me to be my angel.” I couldn’t help but cry and didn’t say a word. I know that I am so far from being an angel but it was so humbling to hear him say those words.
Orlando returned to his wife who was so happy to see him. For Orlando, that day, we as a team acted as Jesus to him. “These things we do… that others might live.”

--Austin