A Boy Named Patrick

It was evening when the doorbell rang.  Scott got up to see who was at the door.  I was in the living room and couldn’t quite hear what was going on.  I heard Scott say, “We don’t have regular phones, just cell phones.”  I looked toward the doorway and saw a tall, young man whom I’d never seen before.  Based on his height and build, I figured him to be about 15 or 16 years-old.  I got up to see what was going on.  I thought maybe it was the boy across the street and he was locked out of his house.  Scott had handed him a cell phone and he was making a phone call.  I asked Scott, “What’s going on?”  “He had a fight with his dad and ran away from home.  He’s trying to call his mom.”  It wasn’t the boy who lives across the street, so we had no idea who he was.  I eavesdropped on his phone conversation.  His mom wasn’t home.  His Dad got on the phone.  (I could hear him coming through the receiver.)

Dad: “Where are you?” 

Boy: “I tried to go to the gym where I work out but no one was there.  I’m at someone’s house using their phone. Can you come and get me?”

Dad: “You got there.  You can just bring yourself on back home.”

Ok, this was getting really bizarre.

When the boy hung up, Scott asked him some about the fight he had with his Dad and where he lives. “Did your Dad hurt you?”  “No.”  “Are you going to be okay if I take you home?”  “Yes.” “Where do you live?” (Leaving out his home location, but it was 3 miles from our house!) “What’s your name?”  “Patrick,”

So, Scott and Patrick left.  I went back to the living room where the four kids were.  Of course, they started asking all kinds of questions.  “Who was that?”  “Why did he come here?”  “Where did Dad go?”

In my mind, I was already praying for Patrick and for Scott; for Scott’s safety and for their conversation in the car.  I told the kids, “All I know to do is to pray for this situation.  There’s a reason Patrick ended up on our door step and God knows it.  We just have to let Him use us.”  Michael said, “Maybe Dad will tell him about Jesus.”

When Scott returned, I asked him how it went.  He said he walked Patrick to the door and his mom came out.  She knew about the fight between Patrick and his Dad and thanked Scott for bringing  him home.  I asked how the conversation was during the car ride.  Scott said, “I asked him where he goes to school, what activities he does and if he goes to church.  He said his family goes to church sometimes.”  Scott then told him that God always loves Him…that He loves him so much He gave His son Jesus to die for Him so he can have eternal life.  Anytime he’s having problems, he can always go to God because God is always there for him and will never leave him.  Patrick didn’t say anything about that, but I’m praying the truth stays with him.

Wow.  I’m so proud of Scott for taking the opportunity to share about Jesus with this hurting boy…who turns out, is only 12 years-old.  And I’m so amazed that God chose to use our family to minister to Patrick.   I’m going to keep praying for Patrick.