I remember well the first time I met William over a year ago. He was “the one” of Project One led by Angie and Chris Jeffers of Church at Chapel Hill. He regarded me politely but suspiciously, as if any kindness I showed him was subject to withdrawal at a moment. William always wore a trademark beret and was accomplished at making them. Project One sought to relationally find and nurture that one man in a homeless encampment that could look after the others, and perhaps, God willing come out some day. Some homeless men choose to live in the woods. Others have no choices due to bad luck, hard times, mental illness, or addiction. Its ironic in a way; society cares little for these men, but God gives them a home in the woods, as Leila says.
Our sister Leila and the Daily Bread Ministry team simply love and care for the men. She doesn’t like the word homeless, “they have a home, its just in the woods.”
The more time Project One spent with William, the more helpful and reliable he became. This is miraculous considering how hard it is just to get the men to show up sober to wash their clothes free at a kind man’s laundromat. Leila has a blessing from God to love these men no matter how they behave.
We have gotten the men to visit with us at our Wednesday Bible Study and lunch at First UMC just down the street from where some of them live. They are visited several times a week and provided food, tents, sleeping bags, tarps, and other necessaries.
The men come and go. They move on to death, illness, jail, many things. Angie called me just a few days ago and said that one came out. William had decided to reconcile with his family and was on a bus headed home. One came out. I am praying for Angie, Chris, Leila, Troy and the so many others to find another William to encourage and strengthen them in this precious work.