Richard is a very smart man who became homeless when he decided to walk away from a life of sin. He knew the way he was living wasn't pleasing to God. See, he had been to Bible college and had walked very close to God. Then, money and other things blurred his focus.
He fell away until one day he said "God, I don't want to live like this anymore." He had plenty of money, a house, nice cars, but he was empty on the inside. He wasn't married, but he was living with a woman. One day he told her he was finished living like that. So he left and came to Dothan. I've done some research like I usually do, and he's right. He doesn't have a police record, and his story holds true.
I met him about a month ago in a small restaurant in downtown Dothan, Ala. I saw him the next day at a prayer breakfast I was speaking at in the Dothan Train Depot. We started talking and I told him that I wanted to help him get back on his feet. Love In Action put him in a hotel room and he started going to church with us and to Bible study every Wednesday night at the Love In Action warehouse. He loves going to Harvest Church and he's very active in the Bible studies.
This Tuesday (Feb. 24), he starts his new job. He's an outstanding mechanic and he actually had a couple of choices of places to work. He went with the shop that is owned by Christians. "I don't want to work on Sundays," he said. "I want to be in church." His desire is to open his own shop and use it as a ministry to help people who need their autos worked on, but don't have the money to pay shops to fix them.
He has really allowed God to work on him this past month. He is one fired up man of God now. I know God is going to use him in mighty ways. Martha and I are excited about what God is doing in Richard's life.
One need he has is he doesn't have a vehicle. He hasn't asked for one, nor has he asked for much of anything, but please pray that God will provide a vehicle for him. He will be walking at least 4-5 miles round-trip every day to work, so a vehicle would indeed be a blessing. He has a valid driver license, so all he needs is a car or pickup truck.
Thanks for your prayers and financial support of Love In Action. Because you give, people like Richard are truly experiencing the love and joy of Jesus Christ. Lives are being changed and the homeless are coming off the streets to live positive, productive lives.