Life has many courses for one to take. In an unexpected course in y life, learned things about myself I never imagined could be. I owe this all to a missionary who never gave up on me, and just wanted to be my friend. My whole life I have lived in poverty, but was it my choice? -No. Ever since I was the age of 14 I found out the hard way how to make a living . . . by selling my body as a pleasure for other men. I live on an island that is known as Palau. Many think of it as a beautiful exotic place; however, life is different for the islanders than it is the tourists and the missionaries. We do not like them or want to hear about their god, because they have so much that we have not had or seen. Why listen about their god, when he so blatantly "forgot about" us? That is when, in tornadoes of discouragement and filth, I learned my lesson, I met Jay. I didn't want to hear anything of what this so called missionary had to say about his God; but his actions and words were so soothing to a wounded heart that I almost completely dissolved into him as he spoke words of friendship and of his God. He helped me change my life.
There were three ways in particular that I can remember about how he helped me change my ways. He was tender with his words, not coming on to strong. He shared his faith by breaking down the barriers without using his religion. He had the same interests as me, and got to know me better that way.
Imagine yourself having a large glass of water after an extremely intense workout. The feeling of dehydration escapes your body, and you feel replenished. Well, that's what Jay's words felt like to me. Too much water and I"m overwhelmed. However; just the right amount and life is all good. Jay's remarks were nothing more than baby food for me. But he chose them so wisely and so delicately that I could understand, it meant a lot to me. He quenched my thirst for understanding, never once trying to drown me in my sips of his knowledge.
