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Robert was on the mend…
He was trying to get out of the dirt… Making his way out of homelessness… On the street he was approached by by two men who were trying to rob him. Robert held them off and quickly called the police. When the police arrived they looked at ID's and found that Robert had an outstanding warrant out of Knoxville. The warrant was for a robbery that occurred while Robert was locked up some 5 years ago. He was arrested on the spot - Locked up for 14 days - then transported to Knoxville where he was held for 19 days. After 33 days he went before the judge who saw the mistake and released him immediately. He was transported back to Nashville and dumped on the streets. No money - no food - nothing. This is yet another example of the pathway to prison the men and women on the street are faced with every day. In bad weather, people on the streets look for shelter - be it a vacant building or a church doorway - think about what you would do to keep warm and dry. We all watch the popular TV show - Survivor - We see the game played for a prize of a million dollars. The people on our streets are not playing a game for money - they are playing the game of life and trying to survive. Consider this. You wake up in the morning and go to the kitchen and fix breakfast. Usually anything you want. Fresh orange juice,.. some scrambled eggs with bacon… At lunch you eat out or have a sack lunch… And dinner? Again eat out or stay in… After dinner you curl up on your sofa and read a book or watch a movie or TV. Our homeless friends wake up in the morning hungry… There is no lunch… If they have a meal it might be one that they have to walk for miles to one of the many feeding places for the homeless… - some simply don't have the strength to walk miles. They go out and panhandle trying to get enough for a burger at Mc Donalds or even a few things at Kroger... They can't store food as it simply goes bad after a day in their back pack. Add the element of addiction and those slaved to it's grip, spend their money on booze and drugs. Wow! I'm getting down just writing this… There are two things that I have found to be the positive when working in such sadness… First it is the power of our God stepping into the lives of these people captive on the streets of our cities. So who will tell them about this God we say we believe in? Do we believe He can change lives" Do we actively tell others about the God of creation? Do we Really Believe that the faith of a mustard seed can move mountains? It it takes that little faith - think about how easy it must be to have the faith to help a human move out of the dirt into a new life off the streets. Second - It takes people. People to Pray - People to Volunteer - People to Give. When a person takes the hand of another person and helps them - The power of two is amazing. I suspect that is why God created male and female… Why Jesus sent out disciples in groups of two… Most of the people we serve on the streets are the ones who fall through the cracks… They have lost hope and see no end to their homelessness. When a person like you or me enters their world with hope… they respond… When we build trust… they listen… When we take their hand… they bond… and when they bond they are ready for the help that they need. So… Back to Robert's story… He was dumped back to the streets of Nashville and again was homeless. He had absolutely nothing… Nothing that is - except for the Volunteers of The Project Nashville who found him emergency housing thanks to Room in the Inn, Who fed him for a week and helped him get around town. On his own, Robert found a Half Way House to move into after a week at RII One week later landed a good job in his field of carpentry, After two days on the job he was recommended to become a foreman for the company. The one thing that makes Robert unique in the homeless world is that he has a great attitude, doesn't blame others, picks himself up when down. and doesn't expect a hand out. He is addressing his addiction and going to "meetings" every week. Robert is doing all the right things. Robert has his issues but don't we all… He is out of the dirt and we all celebrate his success!!! Because of our Volunteers we were able to offer assistance to Robert with a Hand Up instead of a Hand Out. Thank all of you who helped Robert.
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 I get asked all the time why I do what I do…
Perhaps there are a few reasons… My parents always cared for people in need… In college I had a "younger brother" Leon Hyatt from the town… He lived in poverty unlike I had ever seen. But we skateboarded every Saturday and Sunday… I took him to Bancroft Bible Camp in the summer and my roommates and I clothed him in new and used clothing. For the first time in my life i realized how well off I was… and how the things I took for granted were unreachable for most poor people… College - Cars - Owning your own home - Food in the house - Air conditioning - Heat in the winter - and the money to pay for those high utility bills - Eating out - Going on vacation - A family Beach House - Computers - iPhones(6+ is awesome) - and on and on… There is one man who would stand out as the one who pushed me to get my hands dirty. He was Carl Carlson Founder of Men-of-Valorb Prison Ministry. I remember the day in 2003 that he called me and said… "JR! it's time that you start working with me in Men-of-Valor!" My first thought was… I don't have time - I'm so busy - I don't have time… Did I already say that? Yes - I DIDN'T HAVE TIME - MY PLATE WAS FULL - I BARELY HAD TIME FOR MY OWN FAMILY - I HAD A NEW BUSINESS - I WAS SWAMPED!!! I meekly answered "OK". The years that followed, Carl mentored me, was a spiritual advisor to me, he helped me when I down… He called me often to encourage me and gave me the opportunity to grow mentoring inmates and men released from prison. Yes it is Carl Carlson who encouraged me to get active in helping people. In his last test to me he wrote… "Key verse for today. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not parish, but have eternal life! Take serious time with God today. I love you JR Davis! :) Carl I responded: Carl Love you too my friend… You are a blessing to me my friend. Never doubt the hand of God that rests on your shoulder. Love you He wrote back: As I do you! :) Pray for me, my good friend. I responded: Carl Praying for you this Sat morning His response: Grateful! just read 1 Kings Chapter 8 verse 56. God keeps his word. My response: I have to constantly remind myself of that truth. His last words to me: We all do. :) God is faithful. Look at your sons. And that was the last time I talked to this great man. Carl went to sleep monday night and passed from this earth into God's world. The legacy he left is monumental. Men of valor was three years old when I first met him. Today the ministry continues to mentor inmates in three of Nashville's prisons. They have a huge family ministry for the wives and children of inmates. The MOV after care program houses men in apartments all over town and the Every Day Dependable Service lawn care employs men who otherwise can't get a job. MOV has mentors for Men in and out of prison and mentors for the wives and children. Carl Carlson left his mark on this earth and it started by listening to the voice of God and doing instead of simply dreaming and talking about it. He will be missed… and already is. The moment I got the call of his passing - I thought… It's time for me to grown up! I realized that there is more we all can do… More help for the needy - More compassion - More action and less trying to figure out if we are enabling… If you see a person in need - Help them. That is what Carl Carlson did. and that is what we all need to do. Look for the book soon to come out on the life of this great man. and Blessings to you all.  I love the rain…
Maybe it brings back memories of being in a cabin at camp… The rain pounding on the tin roof making beautiful music. Or perhaps it is the memory of growing up in Florida living through the many hurricanes that hit the east coast. Or perhaps its the soothing feeling I get from a spring rain... Like I said I love the rain. It's been raining for the last three days. It has been a hard, cold constant rain. But I'm ok… I've got a big house with a big TV, food in the frig, a warm bed, running water - hot and cold. I have an assortment of cold drinks I can choose from, and even hot Chai Latte Tea that my Keurig coffee maker will make in 30 seconds. Yes I love the rain… This past Saturday I decided to visit one of the many homeless camps along the Cumberland River. The hard rain had calmed down to a light drizzle… The path to the camp was wet and slick and the water coming off the hill had subsided for a minute filling the gully one has to cross before coming into the camp. Standing on the bridge over the gully made from old pallets was my friend Papa Smurf - coffee in hand… His usual up-beat greeting was no where in sight… He was hearing voices… and looking up the gully - to find where they were coming from… He told me that he thought he was going crazy… I checked the woods and no one was there… "Mother Nature is kicking my ass." he told me. "You are the only one who has visited me today" he offered. We stood and talked continuing to look into the woods for the source of "the voices". He was sad… and lonely. I asked him if he wanted to hang with me for a while as I had some places I need to go - "we could get some lunch" I offered. He declined. "I'm just going to stay here… got to find out where those voices are coming from." It was chilly and I was glad to see that he had a thick wool coat on. When I hugged him before my departure, I felt that his coat was soaking wet. Everything was wet and covered with fallen leaves. Looking down I saw that his boots were falling apart and his toes were coming out of the front. "Come on lets get out of here" I offered again… "My car is warm, we will get some lunch…" He took a swig of his coffee and declined my offer again. I hugged him again and left to go back into the comfort of my home in Bellevue. Smurf needs a new pair of work type boots… and a water resistant warm coat. We will have it for him in the next few days. Because that is what we do… I walked away sad that day. I was sad leaving him, alone, wet and cold… I was sad for the hundreds of homeless on our streets that nasty weekend - Hunger, cold and weather all kicking their lives into survival mode. I was sad that we could not do more… After I left Smurf, I did my running around town and retreated to my home. I couldn't shake the image of Smurf on the make shift bridge -looking to see where the voices were coming from. That night the rain intensified - torrents of water rushed down the streets, and I knew that the tarps and tents a the camp were being tested, ripped and drenched in the rain... and the 6 people at the camp were huddled together trying to keep warm and dry - waiting for the light of day and perhaps some sunshine in their life. Smurf will get some new boots and a weather proof jacket… but that leaves 5 others in the camp that need the same… He needs large tarps to replaced the old and ripped tarps covering his common area. They need a heater - then as the winter comes in they will need weekly fuel for that stove… They need - They need - They need… Perhaps in the near future with help from Open Table - and Room at the Inn… People like Smurf will find the help needed to get their out of the dirt - and for this weekend - the mud. It still saddens me... Thank you for listening… JR Chester was released from prison after 38 years. in another year he will be 80 years old. What's changed? Everything! His family have all passed away for starters, so when he was released he had no one to come home to. Only the helping hands of volunteers like you to help him adjust to a new world. So again the question… What has changed? David Letterman was not a successful late night host… The Berlin Wall was still standing… Cell phones? Forget it… Yes we had cable TV but it was 14 bucks … No space shuttle… Michael Jackson had not released Thriller… Elvis was still alive… No one was texting - blogging - surfing the web - Skype NOPE - Instagram - logging on - Siri… Chester was amazed at this new world… A church started helping him adjust and people were lining up to take him to lunch and dinner. He has a place to stay - again thanks to volunteers and he just got his social security check… This man is grateful - thankful to God and in awe of the new world he is in. I asked Chester what he needed and he responded quickly that he didn't need anything, "Well what would you like?" I asked probing deeper. He responded… "JR, I only have my white prison socks… and they looked pretty funny with the dark suit I put on last Sunday… so I would love to have some black socks…" "Done" I said "Anything else…?" He thought for a moment… "If I could, I would like a pair of suspenders…" he pulled his pants up as he told me this. "My belt just doesn't keep my pants up like I would like them." "Not a problem" I responded… "Anything else?" "Nope guess that's it". Chester got his socks for the nest Sunday's visit to church and I took him to pick out his own suspenders the next day… In the store I offered to get him anything else… but he said he he was good. The fact of the matter Chester WILL need more things. Eventually he will need to get into permanent housing. But most importantly he needs a social network - he will need friends to call him, check in on him and help him as he lives out the rest of his life a free man. Will you volunteer to pray for Chester, perhaps call him, or even take him to lunch… That is what we do here at www.theprojectnashville.com. We are looking for volunteers who will Pray - Help when you can - and support our efforts. I know all of you can pray - so sign up and let us know you will be praying for our efforts. Some of you can help as we send needs out there. Even if it is simply a pair of socks or suspenders… and it is only through our generous supports that we are able to serve our fellow man with their immediate needs and direct them to agencies who will help with their longterm needs. If you would like to volunteer sign up here. Many Thanks JR |
JR DaviswalTActivists for homeless - inmates and the poor of this world.
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