Blessings by the Bag

Now that people know that we have a ministry to the homeless, they have been such a blessing by bringing us clothes and shoes that they no longer need. At this time we have about twelve bag fulls of clothes that we need to wash, separate and label for distribution to the homeless. It is so awesome the way the body of Christ is so willing to help when they see an opportunity to help those in need. We are currently working out a plan to distribute these much needed items to everyone we can that is in need of them.

Our Second Trip

The next Sunday as we got ready to go to Linn Park it had been a busy week. We had told several people at our church about our desire to be a blessing to the homeless community. Our church had purchased several sacks full of toboggans, gloves, socks, and sweatshirts and brought them to our house for us to distribute. Some family members had cleaned their closets and brought us bags of clothes and shoes. Billy organized all of the items into Ziploc bags containing two items per bag. Some had hat and gloves, some socks and hats, and some sweatshirts and gloves. He labeled them "man" or "woman" and bagged them up in two separate garbage bags. He also separated the shoes that we had been given and marked them according to size. We went to Sam's and bought some more candy and bagged about a hundred bags and we were all set to go.


Sunday morning when we arrived at the park several people recognized us from the week before and they were wanting some more candy. After all the bags of candy were gone, we went to the car to get the other items. I had the bag with the ladies things in it and Billy had the bag with the men's. It was early and there was actually enough ladies items for me to give something to every woman there. As I glanced over at Billy, he was covered up with men clamoring to try to get a Ziploc with some gloves or socks in it. Several men had toboggans on their head with the tag sticking up. They were so happy to get the things that we were offering.


As we left the park and headed to church for our morning service it felt so good to know that people would be warmer today because of what we were able to do.

A New Experience

On our first Sunday morning we were up very early and getting ready to go to the park and see what we could do to help minister to the homeless. We went by Wal Mart to get a toboggan and some gloves and felt that we just didn't want to show up at the park empty handed. We decided to buy some candy and give that out. We bagged the candy in snack sized Ziplocs and headed to the park. When we arrived we got out and started handing the candy out and the people were so appreciative to receive it. After people saw that others had gotten some candy from us, others began to come up and ask us if we still had any and could they have some. It seemed like such a small thing but I guess that they hardly ever get any candy. It was good to give them something that we knew wouldn't go bad and they could keep and eat it in a day or two if they wanted to.

We introduced ourselves to the man who comes every week to minister and serve a hot meal and he was so gracious and humble. It was really awesome to meet a man who had an entire ministry and life service to God build around ministering to the homeless.

The praise and ministry was really good and it was so touching to see the way the people turned out and listened to what was being ministered. Several churches around the Birmingham area sent vans to pick up the people to bring them to their church. It was amazing to me that I never knew that all this went on.

As we left that day we were both discussing what more we could do to minister to these people and maybe in a small way touch their lives for God.

A New Vision

One rainey day I found myself sitting in Linn Park, in Birmingham Alabama on a park bench at 7:30 a.m. in the morning. As I sat there examining my life, people began to gather in the park like ants drawn to a stray piece of candy on a sidewalk. I realized as I looked upon this gathering of people that I could tell by their tattered, mismatched clothes and the sacks or backpacks the majority of them carried that they were a large portion of the homeless community in this city. It was like they were all here for something, like they were waiting on an event.

Then the event began. A truck pulled up with a trailor in tow that looked like a tiny building with a serving window. Out popped a man and his helpers who began to set up their sound equiptment and work area. As I looked on I realized these people were here to minister to the homeless. Then the music began to play. The songs of praise and worship to God filled my ears and my heart. I saw the people gather in front of this tiny trailor and begin to worship God. The man took the microphone and began to preach with a passion fueled by the fire of God on the inside of him. I saw people touched by his message and several gave their lives to Jesus. Then they all lined up to get the hot meal that was being served.

Others came to minister to these people. One truck has socks that they handed out. Another had hot coffee that they were serving. Still another was handing out sandwiches. As I witnessed all that was going on around me, I was filled with an overwhelming desire to help these people. To do something to change their lives, to give them hope, but I had nothing to give.

As I walked away from the park that day, I knew that the desire in my heart to make a difference in these peoples' lives was put there by God. How could I make a difference, I asked Him. He spoke so clearly to my heart, "Billy, all you have to do is touch their lives for me. If all you do is hand them a sandwich, you have touched their life". So I began my ministry.