Thought for the week: Season to reflect on Davy’s faith
Davy was a homeless man whom I met in the late 1980s. In those early days of the East Belfast Mission we did not have homeless accommodation, so we found him a small room in the church.
Eventually, he found accommodation in a senior citizen's bungalow in a nearby housing estate.
For a couple of years he joined us in the manse on Christmas Day, along with our parents and our children, and there Davy held court.
His story was fascinating. He was born in a workhouse near Limavady, the son of an unmarried mother.
He often reflected on the awful treatment his mother received in this establishment.
After her early death, he took to the roads of Ireland on his bike as a pedlar, selling all sorts of small things to eke out a living. He would often sleep under a hedge or in a shed provided by a farmer.
Despite this challenging background, he was always grateful for any kindness he was shown.
Davy also battled an alcohol problem, but nevertheless, during his days at the East Belfast Mission I discovered he could recite familiar passages from the Bible, and in these years, he professed his faith in Christ.
As I reflect on Davy’s life, I recall how he created a spark, the eventual outcome of which was the creation of East Belfast Mission’s Hosford House, now a major provider of services to the homeless.
At this season of the year, we might consider how we can help one of the many organisations providing such care in difficult times.
One day, walking through Ballyhackamore, my friend Davy died suddenly. The next day when I went to his small bungalow, I saw on the front wall the name ‘Dun Roamin’, and indeed he had, for Davy had been relocated to the ‘Father’s house’ (St John 14:2).