UNDER THE BRIDGE: Into the Storm!

Into the storm! Stosh (left), Mari (right)

Sunday, September 28, 2014

     The homeless saints of God had looked forward to this day all month long - the last Sunday of the month.  There would be a church service, an endless spaghetti dinner, great fellowship with the “family,” and the beautiful Florida sunshine.

     However, upon waking up early today, I could hear the rain beating down on my roof and the wind pushing against my bedroom window!

     Well, they know the routine; on rainy days, I serve pizza.  It’s more practical…right?

     As I got dressed and walked outside, I found the temperature to be a little cooler than usual.  The night must have been cold for the homeless who have been used to eighty degrees, and above, for the summer.  It was now in the mid-sixties.  Well…pizza is hot.  That should warm them up…a little.

     I reached for my phone to order the pizza, and dialed the number.  Before the first ring, I put the phone back down.

     The problem was that my sermon, this morning, was going to be about where to get enough faith to let Jesus calm your stormy seas (Mark 4:35-41).  The storm, you see, was not the real problem; the lack of faith was the true subject.  Right next to the pavilion where we would be eating would be the stormy sea…and the wind…and the rain.  I would be challenged by my listeners to prove my sermon true with an immediate prayer to Jesus which would calm the sea right before their very eyes.  

     Or, I could back down and not preach that sermon on calming the storm at all.  That would be the safest thing to do.  But, Jesus never said, “Go, and be safe!”

     However, I also felt the Lord would not let me change the subject of my sermon.

     I again picked up my phone to order fifteen large pizzas.  After the first ring, I put it back down again.

     Where is my faith in my Lord Jesus Christ which I am trying to teach to others?

     After a cool night, they would certainly need an all-you-can-eat, hot spaghetti dinner (I serve “Angel Hair;” it’s appropriate) with real meat balls swimming in a sea of spicy tomato sauce, covered in tons of mozzarella cheese and all sopped up with thick slices of fresh-baked French bread ad infinitum; all served under the beautiful Sonshine!  That’s what I would want; that’s what they expected, and there is no reason to give them anything less.  So be it.  Praise God!

     I donned my foul weather gear and, in the pouring rain, loaded my truck with table, stoves, gas bottles, pots and pans, supplies, and all the other gear to prepare this special meal.

     After I was completely loaded up, sweaty, and ready to go, I went back in my bedroom, kneeled down on the floor and prayed, “Please, Lord, according to your will and your Word, stop the rain during our service and dinner.  I trust you, Jesus.  Thank you, Lord.  I praise your Holy Name. Amen.”  That’s all.  Jesus’s prayer when He calmed the storm was only three words.

     As I drove to the Bay Side Camp, the rain came down harder!  It doesn’t matter.  I prayed.  That’s all I can do.  We’re going to cook dinner, we’re going to get wet, and that’s fine.  Glory to God!

     When I reached the pavilion, I was surprised to see quite a large number of the homeless huddled together, waiting for us.  By the time I pulled into a parking space, the rain had slowed down considerably.  I got out of my truck as the homeless children of God came forward to offload from my truck all that would be needed for the day.

     The rain stopped as I walked towards the pavilion!  
     I stopped and looked up at the  stormy skies.  Not one drop was coming down.  Glory to God!

     I got the burners set up and the gas turned on, the wind blowing the flames wildly back and forth.  Too much wind, Lord.

Spaghetti burner (left), sauce burner (right)

     I walked up to the rail along the edge of the water and looked at the stormy waves.  Do I dare pray for calm?  Can I?

     I quietly prayed to the Lord to decrease the wind so we would be more able to enjoy His Word, the dinner and the fellowship between us, in His Holy Name.

     The strong, steady wind decreased right away.  I thought, “Maybe it’s a lull in the storm.”  I waited.  The wind had been blowing at 20-25 miles per hour, and died down to about 10-15 miles per hour.  I’ll take that! We were now able to cook.

     The Lord put it in my heart that the rain would start again as soon as we were done for the day.  I’ll take that, also (it’s been dry and we need the rain).  Thank you Jesus. 

     I walked back to the pavilion and shared with Paul, “The Lord said the rain will start again when we are done here for the day.”

Paul says, "The rain stopped!  Glory to God!"

     We turned around and started setting up everything to fix these precious children of God a hot spaghetti dinner.

     Before eating our meal, I was now able to preach this sermon on faith to a very attentive audience who had noticed the rain had stopped and the wind had slowed down.  Even as hungry as they were, I had their full attention for the 20-minute sermon.  God is so good to us.

This is the real food!

      After the service, as we were preparing to serve dinner, I put my camera on the table, waiting to use it.  Kojak came up, grabbed the camera and said, “I’ll take the pictures!”

     “Uhhhhh!” is all I could say, as he disappeared in the homeless crowd with my $800 piece of cherished equipment.

     He came back a couple of minutes later, “How do I set the flash?”

     “This button right here,” I pointed out.

     “And what’s this button for?”

     I must have looked at him with doubt because he continued, “Never mind.  I got it,” as he walked away.  Once in a while I would see the flash go off, telling me where he was.  So, all pictures this week were taken curtesy of Kojac.  Of course, he is not in any of the pictures.

Anyone know where  "Denver" is from?

"Denver" gave the dinner benediction!

       It was so good to see all these wonderful saints of God, again.  I truly missed them.  Mari was the first one to greet us with a contagious smile and a big hug; she always is.  Everyone that walks up is greeted by warmhearted hugs, unless one was not wanted.  That’s O.K.  We don’t push ourselves on anyone.

     Well, since they say that a picture is worth a thousand words...

Everyone gets a hug (if they want one).  Bill (left), John (right)

Bill is a true servant of the Lord!

These three hungry guys are waiting to eat!
Left to right; Stosh, Robert, (Mari), Chris

Three hungry guys getting ready to eat!

Alright, you three guys, enjoy!

Robert, Guy # 1; humpf, slurp, mumph, slurp!

Stosh, Guy #2; snizk woof, umph, slurp, 

Seconds, anyone!

We've got more drinks...

...here they are!

French bread....yum!

Jack the walking art gallery; he's got Calvary tattooed on the front of his neck!

Tim, good to see you could make it!

Come, and I'll make you fishers of men!
Stosh (left), JJ (right)

JJ's fishing taclke repair shop!

The railing separating us from the stormy waves.
The wind died down by half.  Thank you Jesus!

Brianna says, "These meat balls are lip-smacking good!

     Finally, we were done with a wonderful day.  God is so good.  
     I didn't have to say a word, one by one they started picking up all the gear and putting it back in my truck.  It was all put away before I even realized it.  
     As I stepped out from under the pavilion to go to my truck, it started to rain.  I stopped, looked up, turned around and made eye contact with Paul, who smiled and gave all the glory to God!
     When I got home and started emptying my truck, my neighbor drove up and asked me where I'd been.  
     "Had a picnic at the Bay Side Park!"  I answered.
     "Didn't you get rained on?" he asked.
      "Nope, it stopped raining while we were there.  Praise God"
     "It rained all day long, here," he gloomily replied.

Good night, folks, and God bless y'all.

We're so dog tired from eating, playing and socializing!
Jack (left), Robert (right), the people's names, not the dogs!

CONTINUE ON WITH THE NEXT REVEALING STORY!

UNDER THE BRIDGE: The Great Migration!

Why is Stosh saying, "Hello Poland?"

Sunday, September 21, 2014

     They migrate mainly from the North.  As the cool fall weather descends further south over the coming weeks, many of the homeless will come south to avoid the coming winter cold.  A few will stay with us and some will continue on further to south Florida.  Our northwest Florida weather can end up in the low twenties (F) in the heart of Winter!

     The ranks of our homeless population can swell thirty to fifty percent for a few weeks at this time of the year.  

     Though you may be familiar with the following homeless men and women from the previous blogs (and I hope you do read their amazing stories), let’s find out where they are truly from.

     “Hey, Stosh, where are you from?  (See post from 6/20)

      Of course, Stosh is one of our regular, year-round homeless residents.

     “Well, actually, I’m from Poland.”

     Wow, that’s really far north!  “What do you mean you’re from Poland?”

     “We lived in the southern part of Poland when my parents moved to America.  I was about four or five years old at that time.”
     Wow!  That is some migration!

     Then he told me his last name; Szczechowicz!  I would have known that was Polish!

Stosh can eat more than any one I know!

     We don’t do last names with the homeless; I don’t know theirs and they don’t know mine.  There is no real need to know.  It’s not important.  With many of the homeless, I only know their nicknames; never even knowing their first names.  However, whatever name they use, make sure you remember it. 

     Where your heart is; that, they want to know.  Can you love them in the name of Jesus Christ?  That’s all that really counts.

     Let’s look at a few of our local homeless residents and see from where they migrated.

     “Happy” is from Milton, which is about thirty-five miles from here.  It used to be a small country town nestled in farmland, woods and crystal clear creeks.  However, it has grown a bit more in the last few years.

Happy says, "You've gotta hear where this cross came from..."

     “Happy’s” cross that was given to him (post from 9/15) broke on the bottom, and he’s a little upset about it.  He doesn’t know it, but I’m planning on soon giving him a new one.  It’s important to him, as it reminds him of the protection Jesus gives him when he is in the street.

     Quiet, mild-mannered JJ (8/9) is from here; Pensacola.  The cross around his neck serves the same purpose; faith in the safety of the Lord.

R. to L.- JJ, Stosh, John, Chris with the hurt ankle, Tina, Cojac

     Robert (7/21, 7/12), Mari’s son, is from here (Pensacola), as is his girlfriend, Rachel.  They make a beautiful couple.  He’s homeless, though she is not.

Rachel and Robert

     Mari (8/17, 7/21, 7/14, 7/12), Robert’s mom, is from Patuxent River, Maryland.  Mari is from Maryland; get it?  That makes sense, doesn’t it?  She married down here and had three sons, after which she was widowed.  Better to be down in warm Florida then to be in colder Maryland, right, Mari?

     “Jean-Luc?”

     “Yea.”

     “I need a tackle box.”  Mari doesn’t ever ask for much so this must be important.  She continues, “I’m the bait girl!  I fish for the little bait fish the guys put on their hooks to catch the big fish.  I need a tackle box.”

Mari and Stosh.  Mari says, "I'm the bait girl!"  What?

     She usually ends up having to look around the fishing pier for discarded hooks and sinkers which wastes valuable time when the fish are biting. Stosh, the fisherman, catches the big fish which they sell on the pier.

    I was watching Stosh help a little ten-year old girl fix her reel, pole and line so she could fish.  He took his time to show her all the little details of catching fish, which her parents didn’t seem to care about.  The little girl seemed to be totally involved in fishing and what Stosh was teaching her.

     “Mari, look at Stosh with that little girl.  He is showing so much patience with her.”

     “Yea, he is so good with kids,” she says proudly.

     It’s Jersey’s turn to be in jail this week (read posts 8/9, 7/21, 7/14)!  Well, he might be in longer than a week, this time.  Not everyone is really sure what happened, but it seems they do agree that he stole something and got caught.  We don’t really need the details.  Jersey, by the way, is from Jersey (New Jersey).

This is what happens when Jersey
walks on the rocky sea wall at night!

The man-eating sea wall!

     Chris took Jersey's place.  Chris was here with us for about a year and then left for about six months to live in a house with a roommate.  But, the roommate is now gone and he is back with us.  Chris is from Decatur, Alabama – the next state over.

     Chris is a very respectful and soft spoken, born-again, homeless man who has stopped drinking for about a year, now. 

We can hardly see Chris in his camouflage gear

     “Jean-Luc?”

     “Yea, Chris.”

     “I need to get a driving job – even as a taxi driver.  I’ve got a clean record.”

     I believe Chris is the only one of our large group who has not gone to jail!

     “I’ll keep my ears open, Chris.  I’ll let you know if I hear of a driving job opening.”

     There was a time when we were praying a lot for Chris, as he has a pacemaker and had serious heart problem about a year ago.  He says he is doing better now than he ever has.  He is looking great.

     Kojak is from New York – the Bronx (8/26, 7/21, 6/20)! Everyone laughed when he said that because of his accent which is definitely from New York.  He was a bartender for seventeen years and a chef.  He is excited that I’m cooking everyone a spaghetti dinner at next Sunday’s church service.

Kojak, the ex-bartender has some stories to tell!

     Our other Chris (8/26, 6/20) is from Phoenix, Arizona.  He’s the one with the hurt ankle and the stolen car.  He is getting better, however.  I hope he can get that oil rig job in Oklahoma he’s been talking about.

     James, the Music Man, or Guitar Man (8/17), as he is known, just wrote a song he wants us to hear.  It’s smooth and jazzy – an actually good song to which we all clap.  He will play it completely for us next week.  He will also play Amazing Grace for our service, next Sunday. Awesome!  He’s from Alabama, next door.

Yea, I wrote this song.  I really did.  Do you like it? 

     Jack the Fisherman, Astrophysicist (9/15, 7/12) is from Nevada!  Then where did he learn to fish?  Right here in Pensacola.  Of course, he loves marine biology and had been accepted at the Woods Hole Institute, in Main, to study that subject.  But, he went to M.I.T. instead, attending there for three and a half years.

     “How in the world did you end up here?”

     He says, “Well, Gilligan’s Island needed a professor!  (See post 8/9)

Jack the Fisherman, Astrophysicist, The Professor!

     Shelly says, “I haven’t had a drink in over a week!”  (8/22, 7/14)

     “Good for you, Shelly.  Praise the Lord!”

     Shelllly, from Alabama, is such a sweet, wonderful saint of God…when she’s sober – and she’s sober today.  We have great fellowship with all present at the Bridge Camp.  Of course, we feed them, etc. but Bill, Paul and I really enjoy being with God’s precious children.  They are honest, transparent, normally cheerful, unpretentious saints of God who will literally give you their only shirt off their back if you needed one more than they did.

     Pete (Red) is from Louisiana.  He took over a space under the bridge that really needed cleaning.  He has been working at it for a couple of weeks, so far, and everyone admits he is doing a great job of keeping the camp cleaner.  Way to go, Pete!

Pete likes his camp clean!

     Ryan is a pleasant, smiling, young man that is visiting us and is from Milton.  No matter how much I try, I cannot understand anything he says. But Tina, for some reason, understands him completely and lovingly translates everything he says for me!

Ryan is a very polite young man.  God bless you, Ryan!

Tim is the only homeless man I know with
 a private pilot's license!

Praying under the Palm Tree.
Standing L. to R. - Pete, Tim, Paul, Tina, Bill, Ryan, John

     Jack the Intellectual (8/26, 7/21, 14, 12) is from Portland, Oregon.  He tells me that there is a library in Portland which takes up blocks and blocks of the city.  It is the biggest library in the world, he says. 

     With a sparkle in his eyes, he continues, “If you want the History section, they direct you, not to a “section,” but to the next building over, taking up a whole city block!”

     “Have you read every book in that library, Jack?”

     “Just about,” he replies, chuckling.

Jack LOVED the Portland, Oregon, Library!

     Don is initially from Illinois, but has also lived in Fort Lauderdale, south Florida.  Don just had a heart attack and is recuperating very well.  He is working part-time as a dishwasher in a restaurant nearby.

Don is recovering well from his heart attack!  Praise God!

     The dogs are an important part of the homeless camp.  They are joyful animals whom the Lord loves very much, also.  They are very friendly, healthy, licensed, lovable and well taken care of.  

Dogs happily playing in camp!  Hanna Montana or L. and Brianna on R.

     The black one is Robert’s dog named Hanna Montana!  The brown dog’s name is Shug.  It was Jersey’s dog, but since Jersey is going to be in jail for a while, Chris has taken Jersey’s place and has taken over as caretaker of Shug.  However, we know that it takes a whole camp to raise a good dog.

     All in all, it is not really important where these men and women migrated from, as much as where they are going to.  They are most assuredly going to heaven, covered by the blood of Jesus who loves His precious children so much that He is preparing mansions for them in heaven - even as we speak.  And He’s almost done.

Good night, folks, and God bless y'all.

P.S.  There are 1,584 other homeless in our county who need your love.  God bless them, too.

    

    

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UNDER THE BRIDGE: Split-Second, Faith-Building Moment!

Jack's dangerous, rocky, kayak landing under the bridge

Sunday, September 7, 2014

     “Paul, why are you here?”  Today was his first day with me in the street.

     Certainly, Paul is drawn of the Lord to minister to the “least of these.”  Yes, he is concerned for those less fortunate than him.  But what was the pivotal point which slid him into serving in the street?  What changed him from clicking the TV remote from the sofa on Sunday afternoons, to ministering to the homeless in the street instead?  Why?  What happened?

     “I must say the one sentence that grabbed me right by the heart was, ‘Just before stepping into eternity, at the very moment of my leaving this Earth, what would the Lord find me doing?’  WOW!  Talk about a thought provoker!”

     Today would be a spiritual eye opener for Paul.  He left the land of fiction when he rose from his sofa and exchanged it for the non-fiction, true-to-life zone of homeless reality where one can’t survive from day to day without faith in The Lord Jesus Christ.

     We pulled up to the pavilion at the Bay Side Camp where some of the homeless were waiting for us.  I consistently arrive at about two in the afternoon on Sundays, rain or shine.  It was good to see those I had missed this past week, and I rejoiced to see many more new faces present.  A half a dozen of them crossed the railroad bridge from Gilligan’s Island (See post from July 27, 2014) to come to the pavilion to receive food, drinks, toilet paper, gas canisters, fruit pies, prayer, fellowship…and to be loved.

     “Hey, ‘Happy’, how are you doing?”  I said as Paul and I hand him food and drink.

     He nodded his head, “Doin’ good.”  “Happy” doesn’t talk much.

     I then noticed the cross hanging from his neck from a worn out string.  “Praise the Lord!  That is a nice cross you have there.”

     He nodded his head in agreement and after a moment of pensiveness he explained to me where it came from.

"Happy" and the cross

     It had not been his best day.  “Happy” was hungry, he was thirsty and had that feeling of dejection that comes upon the homeless from time to time.  The rejection from other people is not as bad as thinking that, possibly, the Lord had rejected him also.  He had not been able to clean up, shave or get fresh jeans and a T-shirt to replace the worn and stained ones he had on.  His shoes were fast wearing out.  He was ripe for that painful spirit of depression to worm its way into his heart and make its home there.

     He ambled to the convenience store and in his weakness just slumped and sat down, leaning against the outside wall not far from the front door.  He could walk no further.  He didn’t know what to do next…and he didn’t care anymore.  Slouched there on the stained sidewalk, sweating in the heat of the day, he was the poster picture of what people think of when they try to picture a homeless man in the street.

     Most people came and went and passed right by him…never seeing him.  He had become invisible to those around him.

     Upon looking at him, the mama took her daughter’s hand to lead her into the store.  There were some things a little girl did not need to see.  Mama was protecting her.  But, it was too late; the little girl had seen the one in need. 

     She was so clean and fresh and so loved…and loved…and loved.  Her innocence was only exceeded by the humble heart of a child still so close to Eden.  Heaven, it seemed, had just released her yesterday.  She had the angelic capability of seeing injustice in that human heap wilting on the sidewalk.

     Humbly and simply in touch with the heart of the Father, she wanted to share the love she had received from Him.  Food or drink would supply the homeless man with only momentary relief.  However, God is not a momentary God, but the God of eternity.  She blamed no one for that man’s position.  She judged not one soul for what she had seen.  That little girl didn’t know about “psychology,”  “social issues,”  “alcoholism.” She didn’t even consider such a thing as “Satan” at work.

     Within her resided pure love from a pure heart.

     As they exited the store, the mama again protectively took her daughter’s hand.  The child of God knew that through that door and to the right lay her charge.  The mama opened the door and cautiously pulled her daughter through the doorway with her.  Little did the mama know that heaven was about to be opened up and the glory of God about to be seen.

     Before the door even closed, the little child of God miraculously slipped her hand out of her mama’s and without hesitation walked toward the homeless man.

     Her mama just stood there; speechless…frozen in place!

     As the little girl took the few little steps to the man, she was taking off the string from around her neck.  She stopped in front of him, took the string from which the cross was hanging, and put it around his neck, as she said, smiling at him,

     “You look like you need this more than I do.”

     He looked at her as one child of God looking to another and plainly said, “Thank you.”

     Pride and self-glory were as far from her as the East is from the West.  Her satisfaction was that justice had just been served.

     She turned to walk back to her mother.

     He asked, “How old are you?”

     “I’m six years old.”  Why would he ask that, she thought?

This cross saved my life!

     Happy held the cross in his hand and explained to us, “This cross saved my life on that day, four months ago, and now protects me every day.”

     “In the name of Jesus?”  I said.

     “In the name of Jesus,” he replied.

“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.”  Matthew 11:25

“I tell you’re the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3, 4

 

     It took me many years to be like a child.

     Just about then, two of God’s other precious, homeless children, coming from Gilligan’s Island (July 27, 2014), saw us in the park and ran over to greet us.  After plentiful hugs, they both immediately started sweetly singing Amazing Grace right there and then.  After taking pictures, Paul and I joined them in such a spontaneous and joyful occasion!  Praise God!  Mari and “Shorty” keep God very busy!

Ama...zing...grace...

 

...how sweet...the sound...

   

...tha...at saved a...wretch...

     

   

...li...ike me......

 

     Paul and I then drove to the Bridge Camp.  Jack the Astrophysicist (7/6/14) came over to be fed and to tell us his latest adventures.  He has a wide and colorful vocabulary which makes his story telling the more entertaining.

     “I have a friend who bought himself a new kayak so he gave me his old sit-on kayak.  

Jack the Fisherman, Astrophysicist's kayak

I paddled a little ways out from the seawall and fished.  I hooked something real big ‘cause it pulled me all the way to the center of the bay before I could pull that fish, slowly paddling backwards, all the way back to the seawall.  It was a big ‘ol Redfish 48 inches long!  I unhooked him and put him back in the water.” (It was illegal to keep it). Jack normally sells the fish that he catches.

"The fish pulled me all the way to the center of the bay over there!"
Behind him is the location, by the bridge (light pole #9), for his next adventure.

     But his most amazing story was yet to be told!

     After he had gotten the kayak from his friend, he excitedly loaded it up with his fishing equipment the next day and headed for light pole #9 on the bridge…at FOUR in the morning!  The light from the pole attracts a lot of bait fish which in turn attract large, feeding fish. 

     Absorbed by his distant thoughts, silently floating on the dark waters of the bay, he was suddenly startled by a loud snorting sound right next to him, and by a shower of water coming out of the breathing hole of a large dolphin (porpoise, actually) longer than his kayak!  He was so taken by surprise that his reaction caused him to flip the kayak over.  He ended up in the dark waters, in the middle of the night.

     “This Bozo the Clown thought he was funny,” he said very agitated, “I lost my casting net, my fishing pole, my hat, and worst of all – my WW2, Austrian Army issue, multi-function lighter.  The new flint would drop in automatically and you could pull the wick out for a candle!  It had a little flip-up blade on the side, and you could light that thing in screaming hurricane.”

     He tells us that he tried to turn the upside down kayak over, but the dolphin jumped completely out of the water and landed near him, slapping its tail on the water near enough to spray him.  As Jack swam around the kayak, the dolphin pushed him in the chest and against the kayak with its nose!  (When a dolphin is born, the mother will push it to the surface of the water so it may get its first breath of fresh air.  It has been said that the dolphins will instinctively do the same for humans appearing to drown)

     Jack was not impressed.  He put his hand on the middle of his chest and winced, showing that his chest still hurt.  But he did have a great story to tell!  Who said being homeless was boring?

Paul says, "Jack went out in the bay in this?!"

     Now we go to Jack and Mari’s camp.  That is the other Jack…Jack the Intellectual.  Not far from the camp, there is a convenience store to which the camp residents walk if they have any money.  A couple of days ago, as Jack was walking through the parking lot toward the front door of the store, an energetic, clean-cut young man (22?) stopped him and asked Jack, “Are you a veteran?”

     Jack looked up at him, “Yes.”

     “Do you smoke?”

     “Yep.  I smoke the little cigars.”

     “Come in the store with me,” said the young man, “and I’ll get you some!”

     Surprised, Jack followed him in.  The young man put a 12-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and two packs of cigars on the counter and then asked the cashier for a large stack of Lottery scratch-off tickets!  After paying for it all, he made two stacks of lottery tickets and asked Jack to pick one!

     Jack picked one ticket.

     “No, I mean, take one STACK of tickets!” said the young man.

     Jack, totally amazed (or I should say – dazed) took one stack of Lottery tickets.

     The young man continued, “I’m in the Marines, and I just got back from overseas today.  My flight arrived here in the U. S. this morning, and leaving out again in a few hours to go home.” 

     The young man shook Jack’s hand, “God bless you, and thank you for serving our country.”

     Then he left as abruptly as he came.

     Jack turned in the Lottery tickets and walked away with twenty-five extra dollars!

The scene of "The Blessing!" by the young man

     Jack is very proud to have been in the military service.  My hat off to you, Jack.  In fact, this is so important to Jack that the only complaint he had about my book, The Spark in the Street, was that I had not made mention enough about our many veterans in the street.  We find a large portion of the homeless to be veterans.  That is not acceptable, as these are the ones who risked their lives for YOUR freedom.  Please pray for our veteran’s welfare, health, protection, healing and especially…salvation. 

     And then, find a homeless veteran, shake his/her hand; then thank and bless him/her, as the young marine showed us. 

     Paul and I then headed to the Palafox Camp, as dark thunder clouds were forming above us.  By the time we arrived on Palafox Street, a half a dozen of the homeless had come out of the park, crossed the street, and taken shelter under the wide eave of a closed restaurant.  We could see lighting in the distance, as the storm was quickly approaching.  We got out of the truck and got immediately drenched by the cold rain, as we made our way to the expectant homeless who were trying to stay dry against the grey stucco wall.

"Paul, are you alright?"

     The lighting was getting brighter and the rumbling thunder was now following right behind.

     Paul had positioned himself with his back against the dry stucco wall, as he watched the core of the storm move over us.  Lighting was now crackling with continuous thunder claps following almost instantly.  The howl of the wind intensified as we became unnervingly drenched.

     Out of the swirling, dark mass above suddenly appeared a blinding streak of white light, like a mighty spear angrily thrown from heaven, landing on the other side of the street.  The sizzling and crackling of that lighting strike made the hair on the back of our head stand on end and our skin tingle.

     With this lighting was also what sounded like the city around us exploding in a deafening blast.  The roar of this blast did not feel life it came from the black clouds above or from across the street, but from immediately around us; the gut-wrenching sound vibrating within our body.

     I looked to my right to see Paul plastered like a pancake against the stucco wall with his outstretched arms and hands firmly part of the wall.  If you understood Paul’s size, you would have to admit that his flattened position on the stucco wall was truly a miracle!

     Staring blindly ahead and facing the other side of the street where the lighting had struck, Paul’s eyes were as big as tea cups!  

     In a split second, this faith-building moment was over.

     I thought I would have to get a crowbar and peel Paul off the stucco wall!

     “Paul, are you alright?”

     He stood there for a moment to check if he was still alive or maybe walking on the shores of heaven, instead.  After a few seconds, he relaxed and a peace could be seen flowing over his complete being.  Then, he looked at me and smiled.

     “If I had died, it would have been alright.  Just before stepping into eternity, at the very moment of my leaving this Earth, what would the Lord have found me doing?  He would have found me feeding His precious children.  He would have found me ministering to the “least of these.”

     During that passing moment of threatening light and sound, Paul had found the peace of God which surpasses all understanding.  (Philippians 4:7)

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For…whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”  Matthew 25:34, 40 

    

.... like a mighty spear angrily thrown from heaven,
 landing on the other side of the street.

     Good night, folks, and God bless y'all.

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