Roof, a Fall, and the Crossroads
It was just another workday—on the outside. But the Holy Spirit doesn’t need perfect conditions to break through. Sometimes, He moves in the middle of a roofing conversation.
Chris is a 21-year-old Vietnamese coworker of mine. The other day, he told me something that opened a deep spiritual doorway. His father had been helping repair the roof of a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Tacoma. It wasn’t a high roof—only about eight feet up—but tragically, one of the volunteers slipped, fell, and died. Chris said his dad witnessed the whole thing. That moment shook their family to the core.
What started as a story about loss quickly turned into a conversation about the unseen. We talked about temples, spirits, and what lies beyond. Chris shared that he’s fascinated by the supernatural—things like Ouija boards and contacting spirits. That’s when I felt the Spirit nudge me. It was time to speak truth.
I looked him in the eye and said, “Man, when you open the spirit world, you can’t close it on your own. The only way to shut those doors and find true peace is through Jesus Christ. He’s the one who has authority over all spirits—clean and unclean.”
From there, I shared the full counsel of God. Not just Bible stories, but the truth of our creation, the reality of sin, and the reason Jesus had to be crucified. I told him how the cross bridges the gap between us and the Father—and how receiving the Holy Spirit isn’t just a religious box to check, but the start of real peace, real joy, and real power over darkness.
Chris didn’t push back. He listened carefully. When I asked if he was ready to follow Jesus, he answered honestly:
“I’m not sure yet… I’m still trying to figure it out.”
And I respected that. No pressure. Just an open door.
That’s what Street Light Gospel is all about—meeting people right where they are. No stage. No spotlight. Just the light of Jesus shining into someone’s pain, questions, and curiosity.
A tragic fall opened a conversation. That conversation led to a seed. And now, I’m praying that seed grows.
Not a sermon behind a pulpit.
Just one man telling another:
“There’s more. And His name is Jesus.”
Streetlight Stories: A Roof, a Fall, and a Crossroads
By Sokha Thorng
