I was about to go up the stairs at St Chad’s tram stop in Birmingham, when I saw a figure huddled at the entrance to the lift, I couldn’t tell if they were male or
female. It was cold and raining. Then a female voice said: ‘The lift isn’t working.’ It turned out to be a woman aged around 38/40. Her face was dirty and her hair was very greasy. She had been sleeping out in the open. We got into a conversation and she told me that her name was Lisa and that her son played football for a Premiership football team. I immediately just saw Jesus in her and gave her a hug. Someone had given me £20 that morning, so I gave it to Lisa. I then went up the stairs to the metro stop. Two weeks later, I was in Birmingham city centre again and I saw Lisa begging at the traffic lights. I had £3 in my pocket and so gave her that. I also asked her what her son’s name was. She told me. She hugged me and thanked me. When I got home, I found a photo of her son on the internet, printed it off and laminated it. I then went back to Birmingham later that day, hoping to find her there, but she had gone. I really wanted to give her the photo of her son, but I had no way of contacting her. A few days later as I was getting back in the car after doing some shopping, I heard what I can only describe as an insistent inner voice telling me to go right away to the Cathedral, where I would find Lisa. I drove to the Metro and got on the tram, but when I got to St Chad’s she wasn’t there. Feeling very disappointed, I was about to get straight back on the metro, when the same inner voice said, ‘Don’t go straight back home. Make a visit to Jesus in the Cathedral.’ So I went into the Cathedral and prayed before Jesus in the Eucharist. I prayed specially for Lisa. After about ten minutes, I felt impelled to leave
the Cathedral. I started thinking that maybe I had just ‘imagined’ that inner voice. Anyway, I made my way The inner voice back towards the Metro and was just about to climb the stairs when a voice cried ‘Frank’. It was Lisa, with a man friend, who she said had just been released from prison. I had the photo of Lisa’s son in my wallet and so gave it to her. She was immediately moved to tears. She had never seen picture of him in his football kit. She was without words and hugged me. When I got back on the tram, I just thanked the Holy Spirit for urging me to go to Birmingham and then sending me to the Cathedral for ten minutes – I felt such a deep joy within and an immense gratitude to Jesus.
female. It was cold and raining. Then a female voice said: ‘The lift isn’t working.’ It turned out to be a woman aged around 38/40. Her face was dirty and her hair was very greasy. She had been sleeping out in the open. We got into a conversation and she told me that her name was Lisa and that her son played football for a Premiership football team. I immediately just saw Jesus in her and gave her a hug. Someone had given me £20 that morning, so I gave it to Lisa. I then went up the stairs to the metro stop. Two weeks later, I was in Birmingham city centre again and I saw Lisa begging at the traffic lights. I had £3 in my pocket and so gave her that. I also asked her what her son’s name was. She told me. She hugged me and thanked me. When I got home, I found a photo of her son on the internet, printed it off and laminated it. I then went back to Birmingham later that day, hoping to find her there, but she had gone. I really wanted to give her the photo of her son, but I had no way of contacting her. A few days later as I was getting back in the car after doing some shopping, I heard what I can only describe as an insistent inner voice telling me to go right away to the Cathedral, where I would find Lisa. I drove to the Metro and got on the tram, but when I got to St Chad’s she wasn’t there. Feeling very disappointed, I was about to get straight back on the metro, when the same inner voice said, ‘Don’t go straight back home. Make a visit to Jesus in the Cathedral.’ So I went into the Cathedral and prayed before Jesus in the Eucharist. I prayed specially for Lisa. After about ten minutes, I felt impelled to leave
F. Johnson
Published by New City https://www.newcity.co.uk
