Sunday, August 27, 2006
THis was written by captain Billy Francis..
David and Trixie
David and Trixie have made their home outside of the Temple on 14th street for the past year and a half. They are our neighbors and Annalise and I have become very close to them. Every Sunday morning as I put the 'welcome sign' out on the street I would make it a point to invite them to church. The usual response was, "I don't want to get struck by lightening, Captain."
During my message this morning I challenged our Corps people to embrace our friends who live out on our steps. After the service we were all making our way out of the building when Trixie (the one on the right) stood in the doorway and asked to pray by himself at the alter. After he finished at the alter one of our Corps members put his arms around Trixie and invited him back for church the following Sunday.
After finishing our lunch at the Markle residence with a number of Corps people we all went our separate ways. Just as I arrived in our apartment the phone rang. It was Henry, who works maintenance on Sunday, informing me that the E.M.T and police were in front of the building. By the time I arrived down the elevator they had already transported Trixie to the hospital.
Annalise and I made our way to the St. Vincent’s hospital just down the street. We were in uniform and explained the situation to the guard at the desk. He escorted us into a back room where a sympathetic nurse informed us that Trixie was gone. The cause was classified a heroin overdose. She asked if we would like to see him and we agreed. Annalise and I, in the privacy of that room, both prayed over Trixie's body. He was only 27 years old.
When we came back to our building we looked for David -Trixie's long-time partner. David had vanished. An hour later I came downstairs and found David drinking in front of our Corps doors. I sat down next to him and asked if he had been to the hospital. He shook his head 'no'. He looked at me and said, "She’s dead, isn't she?" (Even though Trixie was a man, he preferred to be known by his feminine street-name). I nodded.
I have just returned from spending a good hour listening, talking and praying with David. I'll continue to check on him tonight. Please remember him in your prayers.
During the two years that I have been in ministry no one has taught me more about the difficulties of life on the streets, and the deep-hole and pull of addiction than Trixie. He brought a smile to my face every day and I will miss him.
The lights are a bit dimmer on 14th street.
This brought a tear to my eye..I always see Trixie outside of Dhq, and to think that he was only 27!
So I have a question..do you think Trixie is in Heaven now?
