Our Boise, ID team reports, “The Boise team tried out a new time and location this evening. We were joined by David Brandt, who was in town from the San Francisco area. Thanks to wonderful prayer support, it turned out to be a worthwhile evening.
At first the weather was dark and blustery and so, since Boiseans are especially sensitive to weather, nobody was venturing outside. Therefore, we prayed the Rosary, asking God to send people to us. By the time we reached the fifth mystery, the wind had died down, the sun was shining, and people were venturing past.
We were able to have several good conversations, inviting several people back to the practice of the Faith, and handing out a couple of maps with Mass and Reconciliation times. We gave a copy of the Catechism to one couple, where he’s a practicing Catholic and she’s a hurt ex-Mormon.
Probably our most dramatic encounter of the evening was the one with the man pictured.
Although he accepted a Rosary for his mother, Ryan started out sounding jaded, fallen away, and leery of all religions. David was able to walk him through understanding that not all wars are caused by religion–that, in fact, most of the mass killings perpetrated in the past century were done for political reasons, usually by atheistic state governments. After understanding this, Ryan seemed more open to considering religion, so David gave him one of SPSE’s Good News pamphlets.
When he asked Ryan if there was something he would like us to pray with him for, he immediately asked for prayers for his 74-year-old mother, Sharon. Not letting an opportunity like that pass unheeded, David convinced Ryan that the best thing he could do to make his mother feel better was if he actually took the time to pray the Rosary with her. So we set Ryan up with his own Rosary (as well as Miraculous Medals for him and his mother). After that, we joined together in prayer, not only for Sharon, but also that Ryan could see God’s love at work in their lives. He responded with an enthusiastic, “Amen!”
Would you also please keep Ryan and his mother, Sharon, in your prayers this week? Thank you so much, and may God bless you and yours.”