Tl^e
Day Jesus Came
was unusually I
My c{)uyd)
early for church that morning.
I practice the songs that service.
to Visit
I
was going
I
had come
to
to play for that day's
hurriedly entered the building stomping the winter
snow from
my boots. He
startled
me. As
I
walked
into the
sanctuary of the church, his matted red hair caught my attention. That wasn't the only thing that struck me about him. His long
black trench coat hardly covered his torn jeans and sweater. His yellow jagged teeth protruded from his chapped lips; yet his smile
warmed my
had never seen him there before, but back row along side of the Community never learned his name, but for now I'll call heart.
I
there he sat in the very
Service Leader.
I
him Mike. I
continued to walk
down
the aisle toward the organ.
I
sat
down and began to play. I wasn't through five notes before I heard and explosion of applause. I quickly stopped and looked to the rear of the sanctuary and there was Mike clapping wildly.
"Who is this guy? Why is he clapping at me?" I thought, my now red from embarrassment. Mike continued to clap
face
throughout most of that selection and the next. Soon people began to file into the pews. Faint whispers buzzed around the room and all eyes were drawn to Mike.
"Who's that?" "I don't know,
look at what he's wearing."
"Someone must have picked him up off the street. He is a mess and is that what that stale smell is?" They were right. Someone had picked up Mike from his cardboard box that morning on their way to church. You could see he was as proud as a peacock to be there. He listened intently throughout the program and tried to participate in the discussion when he was allowed. "Gad is to us sooo good here," he said. His speech was muffled and hard to make out. His disfigured mouth made it hard for him to say what he wanted to say. Most of the time he just mumbled nonsense words that didn't make sense, and since no one could understand him, he was ignored. Soon the elder got up to give the announcements for the week. And when he was through, Mike spoke up.
