When I first met Drew, he was at the shelter recovering from a gunshot wound caused by the point blank firing of a pistol to the back of his neck. The shot should have killed him but he survived it. He was in a coma for several days, and when he woke up he couldn’t move his body from his neck down. The doctors told him there was too much damage to his spinal cord and he would never walk again. The bullet lodged in his cheek, but they were unable to remove it for fear that he would lose his eye. However, there was hope that with much therapy, he would be able to learn to talk and feed himself again. Drew was devastated and “cried like a baby for days” while fervently seeking God and praying for His intervention.
And God spoke to his spirit, Drew said. "He said very clearly, 'Surrender your life back to me and I'll show you who your true friends are. I will make your body better than it was before."
After spending many painful months in therapy, Drew eventually regained some of his living skills and was soon able to take care of himself. He kept working fanatically at recovery, and within months, he was able to stand on his own, despite the doctors predictions. Soon he was able to take a step while holding himself up on the therapy rails. Many more months of grueling therapy and he was eventually able to walk on his own. Today, Drew continues to work out every day, but now at the Lord’s Gym in downtown Cincinnati, where he freely shares his testimony and ministers to those that are trapped in the street life.
Not only has his body been restored, but his daily workouts have produced massive muscles in his arms, legs and chest. His determination paid off and today he serves as a personal trainer and an inspiration to others in ‘the hood’. His passion for keeping his body in great shape is only surpassed by his gratitude and praise for Christ for saving him.
Drew gladly shares his testimony with anyone who will listen. He tells of his roots in California where he was a member of the infamous Crips gang in Los Angeles. He admits he was a thug, selling drugs and committing robberies. He explains, "We called ourselves the Crips because when we get done with you, you would be crippled. We break bones."
Drew says he spent more than 15 years "hurting people." After serving two prison terms in California, he moved to Cincinnati. One day he was watching a boxing match on TV with some "friends" when he found out they had actually been plotting to rob and kill him. While they were watching the fight, Drew got up and leaned over to turn up the volume. As he did, his ‘friend’ walked behind him and shot him at point-blank range with a .22 in the back of the head."
The two robbed him and ran away leaving him for dead. But he was able to get to the phone to call 911. "It was divine intervention that the gun had only one bullet in it, so he shot me only one time, or I would be dead."
The bullet went through his neck and stopped in his cheek just below his right eye. And the bullet stays there as a constant reminder of the life he was living and the mercy God has shown him.
The Cincinnati Enquirer found out about his story and ran an article entitled “From Crip to Christ.” They describe him: “He's gone from gangbanger to working man, from homeless to his own apartment, from thug to anti-crime counselor, from Crip to Christ.”
Showing posts with label Cincinnati. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cincinnati. Show all posts
Friday, August 14, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Alan
Alan was 32 years old and had been a drug addict for twenty years already. (When I first heard someone tell me they had been addicted since they were a child, I was shocked. But by now I had already heard it many times. Children are introduced to drugs by their parents or siblings in an environment where drugs are an everyday way of life.) Alan had tried to overcome his addiction many times and had failed. He finally ended up in a homeless shelter, having lost everything he ever had. He was frustrated, hopeless and depressed. That is where I first met him, when I came around to pick up people for church.
When Alan felt the love of God and the church members for him, he was amazed. He quickly found a new way of life, devoting himself to God and involved deeply with the church. He was overwhelmed that people could actually love him regardless of his past. And he passed this on to others at the shelter, helping them get food and clothing and lending a compassionate ear when they wanted to talk. Before long, we celebrated Alan having 6 months of clean time. He was quick to thank God for doing for him what he could not do for himself.
Alan was ready to move on with his life, and had been looking for a job so he could get a place of his own. But his felony drug history kept blocking him from getting a job. Every week at church he asked us to pray for him to find a job. And though we prayed passionately, he continued to get doors slammed in his face. In his frustration, he cried, “I don’t understand it. I’m doing everything God asks. Why won’t He answer my prayers?”
We continued to pray with him every week, and every week he still had no job. He continued to reach out to others at the shelter, and watched as they all seemed to pull their lives together, finding jobs and apartments. But Alan was still at the shelter, still unable to get a job and move forward in his life.
When my uncle in Florida died, I thought since Alan wasn’t working, he could help me drive down to the funeral. He easily agreed and we headed out, driving the 12-hour trip straight through. When we got close to our destination, we saw the palm trees lining the streets and could smell the ocean air. Coming from the bleary winter skies of Cincinnati, the warm sunshine on our faces felt wonderful. Alan proclaimed, “This is it! This is where I belong!” I responded that I would love to be able to live in this warm climate, too. But he declared confidently, “No – I mean it. This is where God wants me!” His expression changed to excited anticipation.
When we arrived at my fathers place, Alan soon announced he had to go somewhere. I thought this strange, since he had never been here before. I protested that he didn’t know his way around and offered to drive him, but he insisted he had to go, and to go by himself.
The next day, shortly after the funeral, Alan called. He was so excited that he had found a job at a construction site just down the road. He had also gone into a church, and met the pastor. They had been talking through most of the night, and he now had a church where he felt he belonged. The pastor had hooked him up with a temporary apartment until he could get on his feet. Everything had fallen together. He declared, “I told you this is where God wants me! This is God’s will for me!” He knew that we had been praying for the wrong thing all this time. Instead of praying for a job for Alan, we should have been simply praying for God’s will to be done.
After I got back to Cincinnati, I heard from Alan a couple of months later. He was still working and had just moved into his own apartment. He was very active in the church, and was teaching them ways to outreach to the community, and especially to reach the hopeless and the outcasts. He was very upbeat and happy in his new-found life.
When Alan felt the love of God and the church members for him, he was amazed. He quickly found a new way of life, devoting himself to God and involved deeply with the church. He was overwhelmed that people could actually love him regardless of his past. And he passed this on to others at the shelter, helping them get food and clothing and lending a compassionate ear when they wanted to talk. Before long, we celebrated Alan having 6 months of clean time. He was quick to thank God for doing for him what he could not do for himself.
Alan was ready to move on with his life, and had been looking for a job so he could get a place of his own. But his felony drug history kept blocking him from getting a job. Every week at church he asked us to pray for him to find a job. And though we prayed passionately, he continued to get doors slammed in his face. In his frustration, he cried, “I don’t understand it. I’m doing everything God asks. Why won’t He answer my prayers?”
We continued to pray with him every week, and every week he still had no job. He continued to reach out to others at the shelter, and watched as they all seemed to pull their lives together, finding jobs and apartments. But Alan was still at the shelter, still unable to get a job and move forward in his life.
When my uncle in Florida died, I thought since Alan wasn’t working, he could help me drive down to the funeral. He easily agreed and we headed out, driving the 12-hour trip straight through. When we got close to our destination, we saw the palm trees lining the streets and could smell the ocean air. Coming from the bleary winter skies of Cincinnati, the warm sunshine on our faces felt wonderful. Alan proclaimed, “This is it! This is where I belong!” I responded that I would love to be able to live in this warm climate, too. But he declared confidently, “No – I mean it. This is where God wants me!” His expression changed to excited anticipation.
When we arrived at my fathers place, Alan soon announced he had to go somewhere. I thought this strange, since he had never been here before. I protested that he didn’t know his way around and offered to drive him, but he insisted he had to go, and to go by himself.
The next day, shortly after the funeral, Alan called. He was so excited that he had found a job at a construction site just down the road. He had also gone into a church, and met the pastor. They had been talking through most of the night, and he now had a church where he felt he belonged. The pastor had hooked him up with a temporary apartment until he could get on his feet. Everything had fallen together. He declared, “I told you this is where God wants me! This is God’s will for me!” He knew that we had been praying for the wrong thing all this time. Instead of praying for a job for Alan, we should have been simply praying for God’s will to be done.
After I got back to Cincinnati, I heard from Alan a couple of months later. He was still working and had just moved into his own apartment. He was very active in the church, and was teaching them ways to outreach to the community, and especially to reach the hopeless and the outcasts. He was very upbeat and happy in his new-found life.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Daniel and I
Winter 2006:
Apparently the Drop Inn has had some trouble with people keeping food and trash in their lockers. So over the weekend they emptied out all the lockers, and told the guys they couldn't keep stuff there during the day. So I had some gym bags I took down there. While I was there, my friend Daniel told me he had lost all his stuff in the 'clean up', so I invited him to go with me to Goodwill. Since it was predicted that the weather was going to be cold, I wanted to pick up some blankets or sleeping bags.
We hit the mother load in blankets. I picked up all I could find, and we headed back downtown. I asked Daniel to come along to see if we could find anyone under the bridges that needed them.
It was raining hard, and we weren't able to find anyone in the usual places under the bridges. It was already dark, so I asked Daniel if he knew of any abandoned building where there might be people staying that could use the blankets. He said he did, so we headed up to around Republic and 15th St, the very pit of the drug culture. He said that the people in the building were very concerned about 'blowing their cover' and didn't want anyone to know they were staying in that building. So I parked about a half a block away. There was about a half a dozen drug dealers on the corner, and Daniel told me to stay in the car and lock the doors and not speak to anyone. He would go up in the building and find out how many people were there.
As he was getting out, one of the dealers approached the van, telling me about some good stuff he had. Daniel shouted from the other side of the van for him to get away - that wasn't what this was about. I looked at the dealer - he couldn't have been more than about 17 or 18 - I smiled and said that I wasn't here for that, but that I was here to pray for him. He backed away at first - and started to walk off. Then he came back to the van and said, yes - would I please pray for him. (Daniel was dumbfounded - and couldn't say a word.) I asked his name (Sean) and we held hands thru the window and began to pray. As we closed our eyes, I heard the other dealers approach the van and say to each other - "No, it's not a hit. - They're praying!!"
When we finished, Sean smiled and thanked me. Daniel regained his composure and headed for the building. He was only gone a few minutes when he came back and jumped in the back seat of the van. He was followed by several men and women. As he was getting the blankets out, the people came up to the windows and peered in, wondering what was going on. Daniel threw the bags of blankets over his shoulder like Santa Claus and headed back up to the building with the others following him. As he got out of the car, I heard the others shouting thanks and blessings my way.
Daniel was gone about twenty minutes, When he came back, he was on fire. He kept repeating to me that he had never experienced anything like this in his life. Apparently this building was the place where he always used to go when he wanted to get high. Any time he'd ever brought anyone there before, it was always for a drug deal, and that's what everyone thought this was, at first. When he told them about the blankets, they thought I was going to exchange the blankets for drugs. He shouted, "No - This is a God thing!!" - and then he said the Holy Spirit took over. He spoke things to them about God that he had never said in front of his drug friends. And they listened, apparently shocked to hear such things from him. He said there was an immediate transformation in the atmosphere, and in him. He said "Nothing like this has ever happened down here before!"
When we got back to the Drop Inn, we sat in the van while Daniel kept telling me how amazed he felt. We talked about the joy of giving, and now he understood. He had been part of the outreach at Music Hall, but he said it was nothing like this. He told me if he had thought beforehand about what he was about to do, he never would have gone up to that building. And when we had arrived there, he had been a little fearful at first, but when he saw the dealer praying with me, he knew the Holy Spirit had already gotten there before us. He said "I'm going to get a buzz off this for a week." As he started to go, I reminded him not to forget his blanket. He told me it had been given out too. He said in that building he was not even thinking of Daniel. He said 'Daniel was not even there. God took over and He was doing all that." Then he said, as packed as the Drop Inn was tonight, he was going to have to find a corner off by himself and talk with God about what had happened.
Apparently the Drop Inn has had some trouble with people keeping food and trash in their lockers. So over the weekend they emptied out all the lockers, and told the guys they couldn't keep stuff there during the day. So I had some gym bags I took down there. While I was there, my friend Daniel told me he had lost all his stuff in the 'clean up', so I invited him to go with me to Goodwill. Since it was predicted that the weather was going to be cold, I wanted to pick up some blankets or sleeping bags.
We hit the mother load in blankets. I picked up all I could find, and we headed back downtown. I asked Daniel to come along to see if we could find anyone under the bridges that needed them.
It was raining hard, and we weren't able to find anyone in the usual places under the bridges. It was already dark, so I asked Daniel if he knew of any abandoned building where there might be people staying that could use the blankets. He said he did, so we headed up to around Republic and 15th St, the very pit of the drug culture. He said that the people in the building were very concerned about 'blowing their cover' and didn't want anyone to know they were staying in that building. So I parked about a half a block away. There was about a half a dozen drug dealers on the corner, and Daniel told me to stay in the car and lock the doors and not speak to anyone. He would go up in the building and find out how many people were there.
As he was getting out, one of the dealers approached the van, telling me about some good stuff he had. Daniel shouted from the other side of the van for him to get away - that wasn't what this was about. I looked at the dealer - he couldn't have been more than about 17 or 18 - I smiled and said that I wasn't here for that, but that I was here to pray for him. He backed away at first - and started to walk off. Then he came back to the van and said, yes - would I please pray for him. (Daniel was dumbfounded - and couldn't say a word.) I asked his name (Sean) and we held hands thru the window and began to pray. As we closed our eyes, I heard the other dealers approach the van and say to each other - "No, it's not a hit. - They're praying!!"
When we finished, Sean smiled and thanked me. Daniel regained his composure and headed for the building. He was only gone a few minutes when he came back and jumped in the back seat of the van. He was followed by several men and women. As he was getting the blankets out, the people came up to the windows and peered in, wondering what was going on. Daniel threw the bags of blankets over his shoulder like Santa Claus and headed back up to the building with the others following him. As he got out of the car, I heard the others shouting thanks and blessings my way.
Daniel was gone about twenty minutes, When he came back, he was on fire. He kept repeating to me that he had never experienced anything like this in his life. Apparently this building was the place where he always used to go when he wanted to get high. Any time he'd ever brought anyone there before, it was always for a drug deal, and that's what everyone thought this was, at first. When he told them about the blankets, they thought I was going to exchange the blankets for drugs. He shouted, "No - This is a God thing!!" - and then he said the Holy Spirit took over. He spoke things to them about God that he had never said in front of his drug friends. And they listened, apparently shocked to hear such things from him. He said there was an immediate transformation in the atmosphere, and in him. He said "Nothing like this has ever happened down here before!"
When we got back to the Drop Inn, we sat in the van while Daniel kept telling me how amazed he felt. We talked about the joy of giving, and now he understood. He had been part of the outreach at Music Hall, but he said it was nothing like this. He told me if he had thought beforehand about what he was about to do, he never would have gone up to that building. And when we had arrived there, he had been a little fearful at first, but when he saw the dealer praying with me, he knew the Holy Spirit had already gotten there before us. He said "I'm going to get a buzz off this for a week." As he started to go, I reminded him not to forget his blanket. He told me it had been given out too. He said in that building he was not even thinking of Daniel. He said 'Daniel was not even there. God took over and He was doing all that." Then he said, as packed as the Drop Inn was tonight, he was going to have to find a corner off by himself and talk with God about what had happened.
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