Letters, pictures and shoes!

Here are a few pictures from the park last night.

J.R. reading cards and looking at precious pictures of his two children. My friend was touched beyond words.


Johnny with his new shoes! He only had a pair of flips flops and they had fallen apart yesterday morning. He called me before I left for the park, I sent out a plea to my friends and blam, he received a pair of Timerland Boots!
Ask, and ye shall receive. Mathew 7:7


Wishing you a great week of looking for opportunities He puts before you to serve Him.

Jesus in an envelope and Jesus in a tent!

Yesterday I received an envelope in the mail. I had no idea who the return address was, so I was not expecting to be blown away one more time by Jesus this week. Why would He not continue to rock my world?
In the envelope there was a letter from J.R.'s ex-wife, Sherrie. It was the sweetest letter to basically thank me for contacting her about J.R. earlier this week.
Now here is where this blog gets good...
Also in the envelope were cards written to J.R. from his two children (19 and 16). Sherrie also sent him numerous cards. There were current pictures of his son and daughter (great looking kids!) included, and the last picture taken with J.R. and his children.
How valuable are the contents of the envelope going to be to J.R.? Can you even imagine how emotional this is going to be for him? God is so good.

Friday nights at my church, Savannah Christian Church, there is a 12 step, Christ based, recovery program. I try to invite everyone at the park to attend. So when Kristin and I were giving out bananas this past Tuesday, I invited those we spoke to, to come. I promised I would be there to meet anyone who decided to take me up on my offer to buy them a bus pass back to their camp, if they showed up. Well, late afternoon yesterday (Friday) I was belly aching about not wanting to go to Celebrate Recovery and how no one would probably show up from downtown anyways. Awe, I was wrong! My cell phone rang with the receptionist at my church on the other end telling me there was a lady waiting for me at church! Ye, of little faith, I said to myself!
A sweet older lady named, Patricia, got up yesterday and prepared all day to come to the recovery program. You see, it takes all day to bathe and wash your hair when you live in a tent and have to wash out of a bucket of water that I am sure is not clean.
It then took her a few different buses to reach the church.

This has been a week of more blessings than I deserve.
God moved mountains so Richard's family could be found and notified of his death.
I received a beautiful email from his daughter.
I got to spend the day with one of the most special people in my life, loving on His children in downtown Savannah. Who knew what would come out of that case of bananas? Jesus arrived in an envelope. His love will continue to bless the man I have the privilege of delivering memories of his children to tomorrow.
Last but not least, a dear lady who sleeps in a tent all by herself, listened to the sweet sound of Jesus calling her name to meet Him at church.

I am hanging on to my skirt, cuz I don't know how Jesus is going to breeze through my life next week, but I am expecting Him! To be continued.....

Blown away by Jesus!

Richard, one of my homeless friends died over 2 weeks ago. We have diligently trying to find family members to notify them...road block after road block. Yesterday i did some serious praying for breakthroughs. After many hours on the phone yesterday and continuous prayer over each call, God gave me the name and phone number for Richard's brother in NJ. I spoke with him last night and all Richard's siblings know their brother died. No one deserves to lie in a morgue for over two weeks.
Today I received a phone call from one of Richard's children. She was so appreciative that there was a memorial service for her father at Old Savannah City Mission. A pastor from my church did the service, along with some of Richard's friends sharing memories. She cried when I told her that her father accepted Jesus a few years ago.
How comforting to know her father had a family in Savannah, ever it be, a family made up of homeless people. Wouldn't we want someone to memorialize our loved one, should they die without family around?
Anyway, that was ONE cool way I encountered Jesus today.

Here is a copy of the email I received from Richard's daughter tonight. She also emailed some pictures of her father when he was younger. He looked like he could belong in anyone of our families.

Hi Heidi,
I wanted to e-mail you sooner, however I have been trying to see about having my father cremated , and Asking for some assistance from his family in order to do so.
I would like to thank you for everything you have done for my father, and let you know how much I truly appreciate it! I'm planning a trip for Savannah for the 6th, 7th and 8th . I was wondering what your schedule looked like for any of those day's? However do keep in mind I won't really be there till later on the 6th due to the 16 hour drive! But any of the other day's would be fine! My Plans are paying my respects to you , the church and his friend's who were there for him!
I really loved my father with all my heart, and had only wished he would allow for me to help him, but since he wouldn't allow me to do so, I'm extremely grateful that he was surrounded by people who loved and cared about him, that puts my mind at ease!
I thank you , again for everything. And Look forward to meeting you and my father's friends!
if you could send me 6 of his memorial services this way I can give them to my brother's and sisters , that would be so very kind of you!

The second way, also came about in the form of a phone call.
Today my dear, dear friend, Kristin, and I went downtown with a case of bananas to give away. Banana by banana, we shared God's love, prayer and hugs.
One of my friends, JR, asked me if I would call his ex wife and let her know he is still alive and going to church and hanging around "church people". He asked with such conviction and big crocodile tears,
that I knew he really wanted me to call her.
So, I called and left a message. Hmmm, would she be happy to hear his name, or was there a lot of destruction in her life being married to an addict. Well, I got a phone call back from her and she was so happy to have gotten my phone call. She thanked me a million times for passing on JR's message. One of her prayers is that he will seek God and get his life straightened out. And, that is the only way he will beat his demons. JR's children will be happy to hear their father is alive and thriving. Thank you, Jesus! She asked me if I would give her my address so she could mail this things. Even though there is probably a lot of mud under the bridge of their marriage, he is still the father of her children. She also told me if I ever knew of anything he is in need of, she will send it to me to give to him.

The third way was also a phone call! Can I tell you how much I am loving my phone?
Another homeless man called me to tell me that he is sober today (cocaine addiction) and tomorrow he is checking back into a rehab center!
He just wanted to let me know that prayers were working and to thank me for not giving up on him.
God NEVER gives up on us. Never, ever, ever.
So tonight, my friend (who looks just like one of us, you would never know he is a crack addict) is sober and tomorrow is a new day in his life.
Thanks for listening to my amazing couple of days! I am blown away and continuing to stand in awe of Him.