Monday, January 15, 2007

January 15th Update

The last week has been crazy, and the weather sure didn't help. The blizzard last week put a stop to lots of plans for all of us, but that's what I don't mind about nasty winter weather; it forces everyone to slow down, which I know I need to do more.
It was also a crazy week for other reasons, at lest for me. I was able to see "Frank", one of the guys I've been meeting with for a while, on Monday. He showed up unexpectedly at the Forward Step group. He has been on the run since an assault on a gentleman just before Christmas. It turns out that on Wednesday he was picked up by the police, and was in court Friday morning. I went to the courthouse on Friday with his "girlfriend" (i.e. - the one he's assaulted a couple of times). Although I wasn't able to stay around until his name came up, I found out later that he got 4 months.
Over supper that evening I got two nasty calls from him, as he seems to think there is something going on between myself and his girlfriend. I also got 5 phone messages on Sunday with the same general message. So I called Saskatoon Corrections and told the what was going on. The guy I spoke to was very helpful and friendly, and I think we've got it sorted out, but the whole incident freaked me out a little, as it involved a message to my wife and a conversation between "Frank" and my son. This is definitely the downside of chaplaincy in general, but something that is part of the job.
I would appreciate your prayers for "Frank" and for my family, that they will be calm and safe.
Other than that, my time at RPC has been changing. We have had an "open chapel" for the last two Fridays, and it looks like this might be a permanent change. This means that the Forward Step group will have to move to a different day, most likely Thursday afternoons.
Thanks to the board for your support. It means a lot.