Victor

A couple of years ago, my son called me as they were closing the diner down one evening. He said that there was a man there looking for me. I was in my car not far away so I drove to the diner and met a man sitting at the counter.

He said his name was Victor and he needed a place to stay. There was something going on in town that weekend and I knew that most motels were booked up so I told him that I was not sure what I could do for him. I asked him why he showed up at the diner. He looked me in the eye and said, "God sent me". He said he was walking down the street. He looked back towards our diner and God told him that the owner would find him a place to stay. I asked my standard questions about how he happened to be here and found that Victor traveled allot. He stated that he went where he felt God wanted him to go and he worked with the homeless and addicts.

I told him that there were no rooms that I knew of in town. He said, "Have you tried the Rainbow motel?". I had not even heard of them but looked them up in the book. I called and was told that they had one last room. I reserved it and took Victor there.

The next morning, Victor was back at the diner. I fed him breakfast and helped him catch a bus out of town. I thought I would never see him again.

Last year, I received an email from him. He was down in New Orleans. He had gone through Texas and ended up there.

I was in the diner last evening for some supper before heading off to basketball practice. I was called up to the entry and a man sitting there waiting for me. He asked if I remembered him and I did....it was Victor. I invited him in for supper and sat with him at the counter as he talked of his time in New Orleans helping a woman out there.

He said that he needed a place to stay. I called Shepard's house but they had no room. So, I dialed up the Bethlehem Inn. I was told that if he could pass a drug test, he could stay. Victor now had his own transportation and I directed him to the inn.

He showed up again this morning. This time only wanting to use the telephone to call some churches up looking for gas money to get to Portland. I was busy but let him use our back up phone.

I arrived back at the diner after going to a meeting this morning to find a simple note written to me.

He thanked me for supper and said that the Bethlehem was the most unique place that he has ever stayed at. I would be interested to have him explain that one even more. He went on to say that in the future he hopes to visit for friendship instead of just need.

I have talked to allot of people about Victor. And the general consensus is that he is either a great con man, a true man on a mission, or an angel. Now, a con man would want more than just assistance. This man asked for no more than that.

In Biblical times, missionaries did exactly as he is doing. Going from place to place and only asking for what they needed to survive. If he does even a part of what he says, he seems to me to truly be a saint. I know that I could never do what he does. All I know is that when I see him, I just cannot say.....no.