Some times God puts you in the place where you are needed, even if you didn't want to be there...

Today was an odd day. It was one of those days where there was never a minute to rest. Crazy things happening. Today I was coming out of one of our offices and encountered staff from another department trying to help a man find a "pastor". He wanted pastoral care, was I pastoral care? Yes. Am I minister? Yes. Well he was told to talk to my other colleague, a male, who was away. Did he want to talk to a man? or would I do? Well... then he poured out this story about the past few days. He said he remarried because he was lonely, only to discover that his wife is not the woman he thought she was. Then he told me details of how she abuses him, verbally and physically. He has called hotlines for domestic abuse. There are shelters for battered women, but not ONE for men. He has been staying in a hostel for the past week. He began by saying that he had not been a man of faith but had recently returned to the faith. He just wanted someone to talk to and pray with him. He told me that he would return and tell me how it ended.

Yes I know that men get abused too. I think it is one of those other hidden occurences, like miscarriages, that people do not want to share with others. Pride, or just too painful to admit, I don't know.

Then I went back to eat my lunch that I had started an hour and half earlier. My boss shows up and looks at his watch. "How long have you been sitting here?" meaning that sometimes we linger a bit longer than normal and it WAS 2 p.m. "Well if you must know, I have been here for 15 minutes. It is just one of those days and I will probably only be here for 10 more while I finish my conversation with my colleague. Is that alright?" Yes I'm just kidding. He said.

I left that area to go check in a patient. Instead I spy another outpatient that I have not seen since February. She tells me that she is going to court tomorrow regarding the assault case against an ex-boyfriend. We catch up on the story, she tells me about the details of his arrest, how she has an alias because she does not want him to find her. Hurt her. And that she is going to court tomorrow because she wants to proove to him and herself that she is strong enough to face him.

This was my day. Sometimes God does lead you to places or people that you really would rather not deal with. But I know that if I don't do His leading, that I will miss out on awesome experiences with people and I won't be like Jonah. No whale for me.