I mentioned in passing on the blog that my sister is lucky her name is Nancy because I begged my parents to name her Orlanda, after my favorite baseball player at the time, Orlando Cepeda.
I just received a little package in the mail. You guessed it: a baseball signed by Orlando Cepeda. Thanks, Terry (Rush)!
Have I mentioned that I was also a fan of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays?
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“A Place to Call Home” from Larry James’s blog:
“I sleep on the street,” William told us. “I cover up with my blankets. My blankets are precious to me because of the cold. One night last week, I woke up and realized there was another person under my blankets with me! A perfect stranger just trying to stay warm. He meant me no harm at all!”
William told his story yesterday during one of our site visits by the United Way committee that will determine our funding level for our housing efforts for the coming year. Thanks to Rev. Jay Cole, director of Crossroads Community Services (a ministry of First United Methodist Church and one of our partners in outreach to the homeless in Downtown Dallas), five men joined us for the interview and tour. We met in the lobby of our recently acquired office building at 511 N. Akard, otherwise known as CityWalk @ Akard.
“The shelters don’t allow us to store our belongings,” Roger explained. “If we leave our stuff, they throw it away. What is precious to me, may not be to you, but it is to me!”
“If we look through the trash for what they throw away, they ban us from the shelters,” William added. “We just need a place to leave our belongings, a place that is ours.”
Three other gentlemen spoke–”Wild Bill,” Leon and Troy. Like their other two friends, each was articulate, clear, honest, rational and impressive.
Leon told us that he was living in a shelter at present where everything was “beans and rice and Jesus Christ!” But he said he was glad for the bed, even though the shelter turned everyone out onto the streets at 5:00 a.m. every morning. He has a job, so it works for him.
“But, what I really need is a place of my own,” he added.
“Wild Bill” described his campground home.
Troy told us about his struggle with drugs and life.
When the men were done, we all sat in silence for a few moments before the committee’s questions broke the silence.
I think we all realized what great neighbors these five men would make.
As I spoke with them afterwards, it was clear that the thought of a place of their own was beyond their ability to conceive at this point. The longer we visited, the more hopeful they became as I described apartments we would begin offering in May at another location in Dallas.
“Would the apartment be furnished?” Roger asked.
When I told him that it would be, unless he wanted to use his own furniture, he just shook his head and said, “Do you know how long it has been since I slept on my own bed?”
William told the group during our formal presentation that one of the greatest needs of all is for simple privacy.
“I’d like to be able to shut the door and take a shower or use the restroom. There is no privacy for any of us.”
“Every day we fall in line to join the ‘parade’ from place to place Downtown,” Roger told us. “We need a place to call home where this can stop.”
All the comments began when I asked these men the simple question, “What would an apartment of your own mean to you?”
I came away more convinced than ever that most of us don’t understand much at all about homeless people. Further, about all we need to understand is that they need a home, a place they can call their own.
We’re working on that right now.
I really like Volvo V70’s, if Terry has a line on those as well. I’d even take one signed by Orlando Cepeda.
Whenever someone mentions Willie Mays, I thing of Wesley Snipes as Willie Mays Hayes in Major League. Maybe I’ll watch baseball movies this weekend. The Cards are in Houston for the first weekend series. I’m hoping to drag Josh & Kayci to a game.
I’m going to tell my kids about this Mike. I’m sure Vida, Reggie, & “the Count” will get a big kick out of it.
By the way, I’m also a fan of Joe Montana , Jerry Rice and Joel Olsteen if Terry can hook a brother up. Who wouldn’t want an autographed football, jersey, or hypnotic rotating globe in their study?
Pardon the double comment, but apparently when I read today’s post, the Larry James stuff wasn’t on it. After I commented, it appeared. I just read it and was moved to tears. I hope I become moved to action. I was just downtown two days ago taking my father to a Dr. appt a block up from CDM. I dropped Dad off and went two more blocks up to a Starbucks. As I sat there and watched the “poor” joyfully, yet painfully, move about their day, all I could think of was Larry. I praise God for a man who cares so deeply about the ones Jesus cares so deeply about.
Many blessings for Larry and his ministry. CDM really is a beacon.
Have I mentioned that I was also a fan of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays?
Is gluttony a sin?
I wonder if among Larry’s housing plans is to replicate what I’ve seen in other organizations working with homeless housing. They have built apartments/houses with private bedrooms and baths spoking out from the hub for community living, dining, kitchen areas?
Larry does an enormous work in the Dallas area and it always reminds me of all the abandoned &/or vacant buildings, staring out on the homeless walking Abilene’s streets. With so many such buildings in Abilene, I’m surprised we have even ONE person without a home. Could not a coalition of churches in Abilene help bring this solution to our homeless problem?
Love all everyone does for the homeless. I know we have the Lord getting a mansion ready there for all. And He bought it at a high price and we are not worthy.
Working over the years with those in need makes me understand a little of the thinking. Responsibility or obligation sometimes seems like foreign words. The meaning maybe is hard. I hear people say I don’t want an apartment, I want a house, and they don’t even have a job and have no intentions of getting one. Or they run out on payday and buy trinkets and don’t save for themselves. I find I can love them, pray for them, make sure there is a blanket or a coat. But I just cannot change the thinking. If you’ve been on drugs or alcohol for 25 years and you are seeking the Lord and trying to turn your life around, you must have patience and focus. Longsuffering has meaning. Again, you have to turn over control to the Lord and go by the Words in the Bible.
Several years ago I found out where Mickey Mantle’s Okla home was. I wasn’t sure if he actually stayed there alot, but not being too far from home, I headed out with my Neosho Daily subscription pad. He wasn’t there. No subscription/no autograph, but I figured nothing ventured, nothing gained. Just like many things in life.
Homeless. I cannot imagine. It breaks my heart. I’m so thankful to the people that care enough to really do something. I, too, see so many empty buildings. Here, it is more perferable to build than to renovate(sp?). My local government just tore down a perfectly good municiple building to build a huge, gaudy,full of wasted space, but “dang what a nice entrance” of a building. I think of how many desperate people that money could have helped. And I don’t care if the people “deserve a home” or not. I believe in grace. Yes, sweet Jesus. I believe in grace.
Thanks, Mike. I have a Mantle ball I’d give you if it hadn’t been a gift from my kids.
I remember the morning I woke up and saw the paper that said we had traded Cepeda for a guy named Joe Torre. I was crushed!
I, too, love to read all about Larry James and this wonderful ministry. It’s funny, and sad, that sometimes we forget how fortunate we are to be able to close our door and have some privacy. I’m just so thankful that God always leaves the door open for those who love Him, and I am praying for doors to be opened to these men who need, and want, doors that can be closed.
Thanks for sharing…
I recommend a book called Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. The book tells the story of two men-one a wealthy man drawn into helping at a shelter and the other a homeless man drawn into the other man’s life and friendship. The impact of the writing on me was to affirm God’s best work can be accomplished when we decide to pull along side another person who is struggling with poverty or homelessness and just be a friend. Treat them with respect and dignity and as normal people who look alike like us.