The past two weeks we have been in Ohio as you probably read in the title haha. We spent the first couple days at our teammate, Amber P’s house. Her family was such a warm host and we enjoyed watching college football kickoff for the season with Penn State along with Maryland both put up 79 points. It was a great week for both of the college teams I pull for! Maryland put up 79 points to honor Jordan McNair who was on the UMD Terrapins football team and actually collapsed from heat exhaustion during practice prior to the 2018 season starting. He passed away two weeks later from heat stroke. On a brighter note both of those teams won again the following weekend. If you were wondering why I cheer for both teams it is because I was born just outside of Philadelphia with my brother attending both Penn State and then later when we moved to MD he finished his degree graduating from the University of Maryland. It was really cool staying with Amber’s parents and then later going to her sisters house, which is where we currently are. Her sister lives in walking distance of OSU (Buckeyes) and it has been super cool to walk to campus getting the change to talk with some of the students there along with some of the homeless that are scattered throughout the border of the campus.
Both of the Zack’s and I had an encounter with a guy, named Bernard, who was making it back onto his feet after he chose to be homeless in order to go to California. Bernard told us how he had spent time in California, having a hard time with drugs and the other negative effects of being homeless, such as people looking down on him along with other homeless people provoking fights. He went on to tell us ever since he had come to Cleveland, two months ago, he had been completely drug free and was thinking so much clearer. Now being able to save the money he made, since he no longer was spending most of it on drugs! He was only spending enough to get by on meals and clothes. It was a huge blessing to be able to chat with him and told us how his faith and relationship with God had strengthened a lot more since he was sober. Another high note, was him being able to save enough to get in contact with this guy that was selling a van. The guy selling the van had been looking for the right person in need to sell it to. The man ended up selling Bernard the van for a good price and now Bernard said how he would be using this as a new place to lay down at night compared to the bushes where he had been sleeping. This was a much safer alternative, giving him not only a place to lay down but also providing storage and transportation. We were able to give him some chickfila sandwiches and water for dinner that night, and he was so thankful. After we prayed with him he said he wasn’t even too hungry and was full from the Holy Spirit he felt radiating off the three of us. We went out the next day and found him again, in the same spot he said he would be in working (the first shift 8-4) before the other guy would come by and sit there for the evening shift (from 4-10). Again we were able to give him something to drink and pray over him while he told us about how sleeping in the van was going really well. In conclusion, he told us how he was for once, actually excited about what the future had in store for him.
Thanks for reading. As always feel free to comment and questions or words of encouragement.
