It had come to my attention earlier last week that there were two bisexuals sharing a room together at Laidlaw (Excel Students) that could have been a potential couple. I began to seek guidance from my superiors and close friends that are here as to how to go about handling this in a way that would be glorifying to God first and for their best. That was the start of the week, I tried to organize a time to talk with the two of them but setting the meeting time proved elusive. This bore heavily on my mind.
I started the week on a very frustrated note, coming from a two week Easter “Break,” that left me weary from study- and not refreshed like I should have been. I had to excuse myself from a council meeting-then I sat down and laid my heart before God. I wrote a psalm of lament then read Ecclesiastes which always cheers me up. By Tuesday I was mostly sorted out, but then began to deal with the above issue. On Thursday night I came home from Youth Group at 10:30 pm, parked, then began to walk in the direction of what I thought would be this meeting I had been praying for since Tuesday....
Instead of that meeting occuring though after I parked, I was quickly greeted by a Excel student that didn't live on campus but was visiting his Excel friends that live with me here at Laidlaw. The backdrop to this man greeting me the way he did, was the fact that he had broken the curfew rule at Laidlaw on a weekly basis, then recently broke it 3 times in a week (that I was aware of... there was probably more). Long story short, I had to ask him on Sunday afternoon not to come back again to Laidlaw campus/dorms. So here he was coming up to me, past the 10pm guest curfew not understanding why he couldn't stay. I told him that he would need to leave the campus at that very moment, to which he became increasingly more and more beligerent. At first he through out the standard “your not a christian,” to which I responded to him with a mini sermon on biblical obedience, asking him again to leave. At this point he started screaming at me, (at 6 foot 3, 220 lbs – it could have been fairly intimidating) swearing, then began threatening me with violence which proceeded to death threats. He threatened my life 5 times, to which I reinforced my original comment that he needed to leave campus now. What was crazy, was during the nearly nose to nose contact and the threatening to level me, I had a total sense of unreal peace. I never flinched, blinked or backed down when he was in my face. The Holy Spirit had allowed me to see around the entire situation, while it was occurring. I felt like Peter Parker in Spiderman who had just discovered his new powers when in the face of a larger bully that through a punch at him, time slowed down, and he was able to see the punch in total slow motion. That is the only way I can explain it. I was fully in the moment, with a clear head, able to deal with the man calmly and non-violently. At this point the whole East Wing part of Campus was awake and outside. As the man left, I called the other RL and we had a emergency meeting with the schools principle. At first there was serious tension with all the students, as some hadn't seen the back drop to this altercation, they had only seen me “not wanting to hear the man out.” At this point I was emotionally fragile as I was leading this impromptu meeting with Laidlaws principle. From there the other RL took questions and answers amazingly (thank God for the team!!) and a former convict now student (late 40's) talked about rage, (what the young man was unleashing) and about how deadly it is. He shared a touching life story and was able to diffuse almost the whole situation. Principle Rod Thompson and I went down to the Police station, where I decided not to press any charges, but under Rods guidance to follow up with a trespassing issue.
Coming back to Laidlaw, I received all sorts of love from the Excel students that lived there and I stayed up with one of the young men that was previously frustrated with me from the situation, for hours. We shared a beautiful moment in time together, God was glorified and tremendous healing came. The next day I had a meeting with the Excel Principle and the man who had threatened me. It proved quite fruitful as the young man apologized profusely and now we begin to walk with him through the consequences of rage, even though his and mine relationship is fine. We talked about forgiveness and the cross. It was a beautiful moment in time, if somewhat not good for my sleep.
Later that day I sorted out some of the issues that had been pressing on my heart so heavily with the potential couple. It went well to my understanding but I won't say more here.
On the logistical side of things, I had to ask for my first project extension ever at Laidlaw as I would be unable to finish a project within the time given. It was graciously granted, but I'm still navigating from a state of exhaustion. This Monday my Children (they call me dad at Excel) headed off to camp for a week were some of them will most likely accept Jesus into their heart for the first time. As I helped pack up there vehicles and send them off, I had to fight off some tears. It is now dead quiet on my side of campus and I'm using some of this quiet to update you all on the goings on in NZ. Life is good.
Please Pray for my: children at camp/health/grades/leadership/ministry
-Piper