This is the testimony of a man who came to faith after hearing about Jesus through the ministry of Caring For Life, a Christian ministry based in Leeds, England

 

Sometimes people are brought to us who no one else wants or who others have tried and failed to help.

 

One such man came handcuffed to a Police officer and accompanied by a Social Worker and was described as being a “very dangerous man.”

 

He had long criminal record of petty theft and all the other agencies in Leeds had failed to make any meaningful impact on him. We were told his name, that he was only 21, and that “You won’t get anything out of him as he doesn’t talk.”

 

The man looked like a classic homeless person; big beard, scruffy clothes, smelling rather ripe and carrying a couple of plastic bags, with ‘who knew what’ inside.

 

We suggested that we talk to him alone, which they allowed, and we explained to him who we were and what we could offer, which was a room in a supported living home and place on our farm.

 

The man never looked up during the interview, but he was told, “If you would like to stay, all you have to do is look at us”. Everyone in the room was still for a couple of minutes, until slowly the man lifted his head up for a short glance, in response to which he was told “Great, you can stay then.”

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The officer was dismissed, and the man’s new home became Tindall House and Crag House Farm.

 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Communicating was difficult. The man didn’t engage in conversation other than to give you the odd grunt. We came to understand that this man had Aspergers Syndrome, so talking and having to do new things was of course going to be an ordeal for him.

 

Sometimes he would disappear at night and in the morning he would be brought back by the Police after committing another petty crime, but we persisted and loved him, correcting him through straight talking and engaging with him through routines on the farm.

 

After nearly 9 months we still hadn’t had any meaningful conversation, but one morning he was heard talking to the goats by our founder, Pastor Peter Parkinson, who went in to see if he would speak to him.

 

The shed fell silent as Peter talked with the man, but nothing came back, so Peter left.

 

The next morning, the same thing happened, the man was talking to the goats, so Peter asked again if he would talk to him, but again he was met with silence.

 

So Peter asked the goat “Goldie, this man won’t talk to me, but I was wondering if you would ask him for me, how is he doing?” Peter stood looking at the goat whilst the man turned to look at him with a face that said, ‘Is something wrong with you?’!!

 

After a few minutes of staring and silence, the man spoke to the goat “Tell him I am fine.”

 

Peter responded to the goat “That’s great, thank you, but can you please ask him if anything is making him unhappy? We don’t want him to be unhappy at Caring For Life.”

 

At this the man sighed deeply, and again stood in silence until he finally said, “Tell him I am fine, I’m just sick of all this talking!”

 

That was the first meaningful conversation with this man, and over the next few months he began to speak a bit more. One day he asked, “Could I have a Bible”?

 

He started to attend our weekly Bibles studies and would sit quietly at the back of the room. Then during one study, Peter quoted something Jesus said, to which the man declared “That’s Luke 8 that”

 

Peter asked, “How did you know that?” as he hadn’t stated what book he had quoted from. The response was, “I have read that.” “Have you read much of the Bible?” Peter asked. “Yes, all of it now” came the reply!

 

Sometime after that, the man bought two budgies. One he named Esther, after the lady who co-founded Caring For Life, and the other he named Jesus.

 

He was asked about the names, because Esther was a little embarrassed by her name being used, and Jesus was not an appropriate name for a budgie.

 

When he was asked the question “Why those names?” he said, “They are my two best friends in the world.”

 

As we got to know this precious man, we came to learn more of his upbringing. His dad was a violent and abusive man, who hurt him both physically and sexually. The school he attended realised there was a problem and reported the situation. Following that he was taken to a children’s home, but during his time there, the manager of that home also started to sexually abuse him.

 

He constantly ran away, but each time the Police would take him back to his abuser until eventually the young man left the care system and was placed in a flat. However, he still did not feel safe and would rather live on the streets than be in that place, and to survive, he stole.

 

Sadly, no one cared enough to see beyond the exterior to find out who this precious soul was. No one took the time to listen or understand this man’s story, until he came to Caring For Life.

 

Now he has a whole new future and friends who love and value him, and best of all, He has a Saviour whose name is Jesus, and what a friend this man has in Jesus, all his grief and sins to bear.

 

At his baptism, this man said “I don’t know why the things happened to me, that did, but I know there is a God who loves me, the Bible tells me so”

 

John 8 v Jesus declared; “Then neither do I condemn you, Go now and leave your life of sin.”

 

If you are interested in knowing more about the work of Caring For Life and the way Christ is impacting the lives of so many broken, rejected and damaged people, please look through our website or contact us for more details.