Today I met a Great Man - Paul Kowd

Gents,

Last weekend I met a man that is one of my Heros. He's from the Riverina, on the Murrumbidgee.

I have just attended a weekend course, on Walking Closer with God, by Ellel Ministries. 

Over the weekend, you meet folks from different backgrounds, ages and churches. It's great. 

So Naomi and myself are sitting down at breakfast in the dinning hall and introducing ourselves to this guy Paul. 

What follows next almost takes my breath away when I think about it. 

I ask Paul what's his story, what does he do, and tells us he works for a community NGO supporting young adults in vulnerable situations. We dig a little deeper and he reveals in a very humble, unassuming manner, the following:

He was violent, in trouble with the police many years ago. Was recommended by the doctor with the police restraining him to meet with the local Priest. He objects, but agrees to under duress. The Priest takes him aside and suggest he just starts reading the Gospel of John - bit by bit. 

Paul agrees to and within weeks he's transformed. 

So what does he do, he senses God's unction to go and help people - he visits prisoners at Goulburn Jail, he works at various refuges and flys to India and volunteers at Mother Terea's hospices and hospitals.  As he tells me ( and this we're having to pry out of him) he's moved by recounting the story of holding a man in the hospice who's dying and he telling the man through the interpreter that he wants him to know that he's travelled half way around the world to tell him God loves him and that his life matters. 

Here Nim and I are sitting across the table in the presence of a man who from the outside, is a typical man's man, from the country, no pre-tense, no non-sense. And inside of me, I just want to jump over the table and hug the man and tell him that he's my hero.  Where are more men like this!?

He tells me he has a 21 year daughter, she's working in Canberra, but is going to die this year due to a disease. He's proud of her, but struggling with the time ahead. 

About 18 months ago we worked through a book at Ironmen called "Wild at Heart" which talked about  the elusive prey - a man's heart. One of the things that really spoke to me in that book, was the idea of experiencing the weight and presence of another man.  And with Paul, being with him was one of those moments, to be in the presence of not just a good man, but a "great man".