Spoiler Alert!
If you have not read And You Invited Me In, there is information in the material
from the new book that could spoil the ending of the first book.

All Rights Reserved—Copyright 2009

For I Was a Stranger

By

Cheryl Moss Tyler

In this life we cannot do great things.

We can only do small things with great love.

~Mother Teresa~

Author’s Note

Jesus paid the eternal price so we could have everlasting life; this is saving grace. Daily grace is what we extend to others. Grace isn’t a religious value used to give approval for sin. In many of our conservative churches we have mixed grace with rules and legalism—calling it ‘expectations for Christian living.’

In reality, grace is difficult for the giver, because there’s a price the giver must pay: forfeit our plans, ideas, and desires to show another how much we love them. Jesus opened the doors so we could come into God’s presence. It’s time that we open our church doors to the ‘whosoevers’, and let the world experience the unconditional love of Christ.

Introduction

Parkland Hospital, Dallas

July 3, 1996

            “They pulled the plug.” Scott sighed as he sat down next to his father. “They said they wanted you in there in a few minutes.”

            Samuel stared straight ahead toward the large window at the end of the hospital hall. The morning sun was just beginning to break through the clouds from a torrential rainstorm. His eyes were moist from tears cried over the last few days, and he still wanted to cry more. Thoughts spun like a cyclone in his head. The events of the past two years had brought him to a place where a decision had to be made.

            After waiting silently, Scott realized that his father wasn’t going to answer him, so he continued. “I got the job—working a regular job again will be good for me.” He watched his father slowly nod, and then persisted to get a conversation started. “I faxed the contract to CNN. I’ll be starting immediately…leave tomorrow for Chicago. Want to give me my first interview?”

            Samuel turned to him. “I’ve got a lot to say; probably more than people want to hear.”

            “While we pass the time let’s talk.” Scott stopped and paused for Samuel to reply, but then he continued. “Okay, let me start—hum, let me see, what subject?” he said out loud. “Well, why not start with how we got here.”         

            Another wave of silence swept past them as each had their own thoughts of the last two dozen months. Finally, Samuel wiped his eyes and said, “We left Atlanta….”

PART ONE

“What can you ever really know of other people’s souls—of their temptations, their opportunities, their struggles?

One soul in the whole creation you do know: and it is the only one whose fate is placed in your hands”

~C.S. Lewis~

Chapter 1

Round Rock, Texas

December 1994

            Scott Phillips looked across the parking lot at his father talking with a young couple. The car had been idling for almost ten minutes when a quick restroom break turned to an extended conversation. However, this was not a unique event, but had happened at almost every stop since they left Atlanta at dawn. People would do a double-take when they saw Samuel, and soon wanted ‘a moment’ with him. Samuel Phillips was still one of the most recognizable and beloved ministers in the United States.           

This final stop was not as inconvenient to Scott as it may have seemed to the casual observer. Having been away from Austin for more than a decade, he was reflecting on what lay ahead, while he also mulled over what had happened in less than seven months.

            Quick images passed through his head: his partner, Alex, died of AIDS at the home of Alex’s sister, Annie Whitley, and her husband Wayne. Long before Scott was ready to trust Alex’s family, he was embraced by this conservative family and their friends in the small Wisconsin of Hallton. In this home Scott saw grace in action, and it had opened his heart to Christianity. In this home he reconciled with his father after fifteen years of separation.

            The Whitley’s friends—Jett Taylor and Harley Hamilton—began as acquaintances during that first trip to Hallton, but became close friends after an early fall fishing trip. Tragedy struck again when Jett died in a plane crash. It was then that Scott decided to toss caution to the wind and aggressively move forward in an attempt to find all that God had for him. The first step was to sell his business, so he could then concentrate on relationships. While waiting for the business sale to be completed, he got an unexpected offer to sell his house. Now there was no excuse to keep him from resolving the past issues with his father by moving to Austin, and this was the last part of the physical journey to begin this new phase of Scott’s life.

This scenario outside the gas station was like being with his dad at church when he was a kid—people always wanted his attention. However, Samuel had changed. In less than a year he transitioned from a neatly coiffed man wearing a $3000 suit in his religious empire that was complete with a squadron of personal body guards to a concerned man who had time for anyone.

The last six weeks had been long and emotional, beginning with the death of Jett Taylor to yesterday’s funeral of Kerry, a close friend in Atlanta, who died suddenly from AIDS. Scott wanted to do whatever it took to put death behind him—specifically anything to do with AIDS. Scott was already making a mental list of those things he wanted to forget about and move away from. Within the hour they would be at the home of his childhood to this new beginning he had been pondering for several weeks.  

Samuel finally came toward the car rubbing his shoulder as if his bones ached. His steps were slow and he appeared much older than his fifty-five years as he got into the car.

            “Dad, are you okay? Did they say anything to upset you?” Scott asked as Samuel put his seat belt on. Once it was secured, Scott put the car in reverse to pull out of the station parking lot.

“I’m simply tired from the hours on the road. As for those folks, they only had a prayer request.” Samuel seemed to labor as he took a breath. “I see God giving me another chance with people.”

 “Yeah, it’s good isn’t it?” Scott exclaimed with genuine excitement. “Ya’know, home sounds real good right now.”

At the mention of Austin he could tell his father’s demeanor changed. They had an explosive end to their already terrible relationship when Scott was seventeen. Samuel caught him in bed with Chad Masters, a man twenty years his senior and the minister of music from the church. That was the day Samuel had ordered Scott out of the house. Since reconciling at Annie and Wayne’s home, Scott and Samuel were able to make enough headway into settling their issues that Scott felt comfortable opening this old wound. Their trip had actually been pleasant.

            “I’d almost forgotten how pretty it is here—and much bigger than I remember. Why don’t you grab the phone and give Esther a call. She wanted to know when we got here. I know I’m going to drop once I get to the house.” Scott said.

“This trip needs to end soon, because I ache all over.” Samuel spoke slowly while dialing his former secretary’s number on the car phone.

            “You really don’t look so good, are you okay?” Scott asked. “You’ve been sick ever since that chili in Dallas—you think it was contaminated?”

Scott was finishing the last syllable as Samuel put the phone to his ear. After several rings the answering machine picked up and Samuel waited patiently for the message to complete.

            “Esther, its Samuel. We’ll be home in a few minutes—plan to sleep in tomorrow, but maybe…” Without warning Samuel gasped for a breath. “Maybe…you and Bud…can come over….” Samuel dropped the phone and grabbed his left shoulder.

            “Dad!” Scott shouted as he quickly pulled over to the shoulder of the interstate. He got out and ran to the passenger side as traffic zipped by him heading south. Samuel grabbed at his shirt collar in a vain attempt to ease the pain.

            “Scott…” Samuel whispered faintly.

            Scott laid the seat back trying to make Samuel comfortable, as he frantically dialed 9-1-1 for help.

***

Brackenridge Hospital, Austin

Scott paced the small, emergency room waiting area. Although his father was stabilized before the ambulance left the scene with sirens blaring, Scott’s own heart continued to pulsate with anxiety about Samuel’s condition as he followed closely behind the ambulance. Esther arrived just before Scott was called into the admitting office.

The petite gray-haired woman had been Samuel’s right arm as his secretary for all the years he was pastor of Austin First Church. Esther could handle any crisis. At times she drew the ire of the more conservative members of the church who held the view that a woman’s place was in total submission to anything a man requested. Scott was glad she heard their urgent car conversation and called him while he was in route to the hospital.

The ER physician, Jorge Delgado, had just given Scott an update about Samuel’s condition. He had called a cardiologist to come determine the next step; it would be several more hours before that information was available. After he left the waiting area, Esther returned from completing Samuel’s admissions paperwork.

            “I’m getting something to drink; may I get you something, Scott?” Esther asked.

            “Anything is fine, because I’m real dry.” Scott’s tongue was thick, and he nervously rubbed his hands together. His normal smile was replaced by pursed lips and a distant look in his eyes. Esther noticed the anxiety.

            “Fear won’t help your father get well, Scott,” Esther said with a comforting voice. “Do you have anyone you need to call for prayer?”

            “Well, I think I’ll wait to call….” Scott stopped abruptly. “Sorry, I can’t think.”

            “That’s okay; wait here and I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Esther knew Scott was operating on crisis-mode autopilot. She gently guided him toward a chair, patted him on the shoulder, and left to find the snack room that was down the hall.

            The emergency room wasn’t crowded for a Tuesday evening: there were young parents attending to a sick child, and a man in a torn shirt holding his arm in a bloody towel. While they didn’t seem to notice Scott, the distinguished Delgado kept a watchful eye from the triage area. For a few minutes Delgado was lost in thoughts of another time and place.

            “Doctor, shouldn’t you be with a patient?” The stern voice of a familiar female came from behind him.

            “Ah, Luisa,” he smiled as he turned to see his daughter. He motioned for her. “Come and look. Do you see anyone familiar?” She glanced quickly, and then shook her head a bit. Delgado pointed to Scott: “Your number one heart-throb.”

            Jorge Delgado had been a member of Samuel’s church when his children were teenagers. Luisa had a school-girl crush on the slightly older Scott Phillips. A wide grin came on her face.

“Dad, I can’t believe he looks just like he did in high school, only cuter.” Luisa’s excitement was evident. “I didn’t know he ever came home.”

            “Me either, but Samuel just had a heart attack.” Delgado had a rich Latin accent.

            “Will he be okay?” Luisa asked as she continued looking at Scott.

            “I think so. Once he’s stabilized I plan to transfer him to the coronary care unit at Seton Medical. Luisa, why not go out there and….” Jorge stopped mid-sentence when an overbearing figure caught his attention.

            In a matter of seconds Gerald Eubanks entered the ER with a determined stride, and walked directly to Scott. He began to speak in a tone that only Scott could hear, and at the same time he was pushing on Scott’s chest with his index finger. Eubanks was the chairman of the elders at Austin First Church, and had continually rebuked Samuel through the years for wanting to reconcile with Scott. Jorge instinctively knew what was happening, while Scott seemed to be clueless to the assault. Eubanks shook his head in disgust as he spoke. Scott appeared to want to say something, but then threw his hands down and walked past Eubanks into the night.

            Jorge and Luisa rushed toward Eubanks as Esther came back into the waiting room with Scott’s soda. Esther gasped when she saw Eubanks. The obese man had a smirk on his face, as he laughed—almost gloating about what had just happened.

            “What have you done?” Esther wailed; however, she knew because Scott was missing.

            “Mr. Eubanks, what did you say to Scott?” Delgado demanded.

            “Nothing for you to worry about,” Eubanks scowled.

            “How did you find out he was even here?” Esther asked.

            “One of the officers at the scene is a church member. He called to tell me as soon as they got the ambulance on the road.” Eubanks replied smugly as if he has his own CIA detail.

            “What did you say to Scott, Gerald?” Esther demanded.

            “No concern of yours. It’s business between Scott and me.”
            “Eubanks, you narcissistic instigator of deceit, you aren’t to have contact with any member of the Phillips family unless they specifically ask for you.” Delgado was furious. “This is my ship. I’m Chief of Staff and unless you have a legitimate reason to visit someone, it’s time you get out of this hospital or do I need to call security to escort you to your car?”

            Heads turned to see who was spewing forth the loud, angry words.

            “Certainly, as you request,” Eubanks said, and then raised his voice for everyone to hear, “anything for an unfit deacon who runs this pitifully poor excuse for a hospital. Esther, we’ll need your resignation in the morning.”

            “You’ve got it tonight,” She replied. Her job had been a smoldering volcano waiting to erupt ever since Samuel resigned. Esther had been instrumental in getting an abused woman to the safe house, which went against the tradition of the church. Eubanks was looking for any excuse to dismiss her.

            As the others argued with Gerald Eubanks, Luisa turned to the windows. Where has Scott gone? She thought. Hopefully she could find Scott and learn what Gerald Eubanks had done to upset him.

            Samuel was resting in CCU when Delgado sat down beside him.

            “Samuel, this is Jorge Delgado. Do you remember I worked on you in the emergency room tonight? Do you remember me from church?” If Samuel had no brain damage from a loss of oxygen during the heart attack, he’d remember Delgado. Their friendship came to an explosive end when Delgado began challenging Gerald Eubanks in leadership meetings.

            Samuel’s sleepy eyes rolled around and he swallowed slowly as if trying to speak, while trying to make sense about where he was and why he was connected to so many machines.

            “Where’s Scott?” Samuel said slowly through a heavy tongue.

            “Scott can’t come in here yet.” Jorge then deliberately changed the subject. “When was the last time you ate mashed potatoes with gravy?”

            “Uh—maybe—uh….” He struggled to keep Delgado in focus.

            “Whenever it was, that was your last time. Your heart needs things like salads and carrots now.” Delgado smiled as he patted Samuel on the arm just below the IV. “You rest, and I’ll be around in a few hours to check on you again.”

            “Scott…okay?” Samuel pleaded urgently as he grabbed Delgado’s large hand.

            Delgado leaned forward to make sure Samuel could see his face.

            “Your son will be okay once you get better. I’m going to tell you once again what’s happened: you’ve had a heart attack, Samuel. I’ve called the best doctors in Austin for you, and from there we’ll see what direction we need to take to make you 100 percent.”

            “After what I did to you?” Samuel was emotional because he was grasping what had happened.

            “Samuel, you’re a good man. For now you concentrate on getting well for your son.” Jorge patted Samuel’s limp hand before releasing it. “And Samuel, I did forgive you a long time ago.”

Chapter 2 

Later that Night at the Phillips Home

            The two-story house was easy to find even though the general area had drastically changed. The Phillips family home was just a few blocks from the church. When they bought the newly constructed house on Hampton Road there were few trees and the area was for people who had a moderate income. A quarter of a century later the area was pricey because of its close proximity to the university. The house was lush with foliage, looking more like Atlanta or Asheville instead of Austin. There was already a mix of emotions as Scott parked on the pebble drive that created an arc in front of the house.

Once he opened the front door, there was immediate anguish because of his mother’s death. Coming right behind this feeling of loss, Scott was overwhelmed with a toxic mix of regret and rage. His heart and mind were penetrated to the core with regret since he never made an effort to contact her again, and rage because his father had not called about her cancer. In any other place he could push the angry thoughts to the back of his mind, but not here, in the foyer.

How could Dad have been so cruel not to give me the choice to come home? It took everything internal control for him to not throw chairs against the wall.

The painful experiences of his youth began to surge from the recesses of his memory. Samuel’s household rules were rigid, and Scott harbored bitterness over the times when no one would listen to his side of a story, and that included the day he left town.

In the mix of emotions Scott thought of Eubanks. He could still feel the bits of spit hitting his face as Eubanks spoke with the bulging fingers tapping on Scott’s heart. Eubanks was only telling him what countless Christians had said: AIDS is a judgment on the gay community, and homosexuals are the reason America is going to fall. Scott knew he had deliberately written articles to upset fundamentally conservative Christians—that was part of the reason he sold his business. Could God really ever forgive him for what he had done?

            The phone rang. It was Bud, Esther’s husband.

            “Scott, what happened to you?” Bud had a deep Texas drawl.

            “I needed to come home and get things unloaded. Dr. Delgado said it would be several hours before I could see Dad.”

            “Are you sure you’re okay? Esther was concerned because you left before she got back to the waiting room.” Bud said.

            “Tell her I’m sorry I left so quickly, but I took her advice to call some people. I’ll be back at the hospital as soon as I get a shower.”

            “Okay, Scott.” He said with the sound of reluctance in his voice, and then added: “We’re here if you need anything.” He said with the sound of reluctance in his voice.

            “Thanks, Mr. McClanahan. I’ve got to run outside and finish unloading the car. Thanks for calling.”

            “Anytime….g’nite, Scott.” Bud replied trying to be upbeat, but still unconvinced.

            Scott put the phone down. He had lied—lying just then was so easy. Maybe Eubanks was right and he was separated from Christ. Scott decided to shower and catch a quick nap before he called his friends in Hallton. 

PART TWO

“If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.”

~Chinese Proverb~

Chapter 3

Samuel and Scott – Parkland Hospital, Dallas

July 1996

Scott got up to get a bottle of water from the drink machine. He picked up the conversation as he sat down in his chair.

“Things changed within me when I met Wayne and Annie, along with all the others in Hallton; even your change was a living testimony to the Christian faith—the faith I wanted. It was my choice to embrace conservative Christianity to the fullest. Maybe if I’d been able to see the whole picture, I’d have done things differently—oh, I’m not talking my choice to follow Jesus. I would have allowed more time to take stock of my circumstances. Instead I moved quickly ahead because of all the circumstances….”          

            “And talk about circumstances: Eubanks…my, my, my…” Samuel said under his breath and shook his head.

“Dad, when I had my newspaper I’d deal with legalistic sorts on a daily basis. Eubanks said things that had been said to me from the time I first had feelings for boys instead of girls. He told me that I was an abomination to God. He blamed me for your heart attack; it all made sense.” Scott paused and then added, “And he said that people were just tickling my ears if they believed I could ever be accepted by Jesus—that took away my trust in you as well as Annie, Wayne and Harley.”

            “Why did you believe that man; or better put, why did I for all those years?”

            “I guess by not looking at the whole picture to see if it lines up with God’s word. That’s part of what we’re dealing with here, right now in the hospital.” Scott took a swallow of water. “For me, after Jett’s death I quickly started changing external things about my life by selling my business and the house, and then moving to Austin before I had a chance to grieve. I forgot that step and just jumped into action. Eubanks’ strike at the hospital made me vulnerable. Very vulnerable….” Scott said before he continued.