POWER BLOG

Years ago, I was a musician on the road. I traveled around the mid west working hotels restaurants and night clubs to make a living. At times I barely had enough money for gas to get me from one job to the next. (gas was cheaper then too) Sometimes the job came with a hotel or motel room provided and sometimes it didn't.

I recall working in Dekalb Illinois, I was staying in a small travel trailer behind the restaurant I was working at for the duration of the engagement. About, every other night, around 3:00 AM, I would be outside in a pair of swim trunks, using the garden hose connected to the back of the restaurant. That's what I had to do if I wanted a shower. (and it was darn cold too)

I did this at 3:00 or 4:00 AM so I would not be seen by anyone. Don't get me wrong, I'm not telling you this so we can all have a pity party for Dan, I'm simply making a point that money was tight! I went from there to Des Moines, Iowa where living conditions were not much better.

While driving in Des Moines, the road I was on came to a fork. It changed from a two way street to a one way. On the grass, In the medium, was a pretty ragged looking fellow holding a sign that said: "Homeless - need food". About a few blocks distance I came upon a burger king. I bought a whopper, fries and a soft drink.

I put a $10.00 bill in with the bag of food and turned around to go back the way I came. I found the homeless guy right where he was before. I pulled over and took the bag of food with the 10 bucks in it to him. As I was headed back to my car, I happened to look back at him only to see him take the $10 dollar bill out of the bag and throw the food on the ground!

I thought to myself: "Fool me once, shame on you - fool me twice, shame on me". Needless to say, I never did that again. Since then I've watched. I've noticed these so called homeless guys standing on street corners while talking on cell phones. A local church that I used to attend, took one of them and found a job for him.

He worked the job for a day or two and then quit. When asked why, he said: "I make more money standing on the corner". So, it has been a struggle for years for me personally to find the poor! I have watched Churches (to their credit) give away free food, clothing etc..., then I have watched people drive up in new Cadillac's to pick it up! (no kidding)

Anything with the word "free" attached to it was devoured quickly by people who didn't really need it, while the poor were left without. So, where are the poor? Where do we find them? First, you generally will not find them on a street corner holding a sign.
My wife is an Occupational Therapist. Every day, she visits homes in areas of town that you and I would avoid at all costs. When she comes home, I hear horror stories. Stories about the little old lady that attended a Church for 40 or 50 years, tithed faithfully and gave much of her time.

Now she has lost the use of her legs and can hardly afford to buy food and pay her bills. She calls the Church that she so faithfully attended and no one will even give her a ride to Church Sunday mornings or visit her. (I've heard this a hundred times)

I've been told of similar circumstances where a widow who had signed over her house to her local church, has now lost all mobility and can't get around. Not only is she refused a ride to Church, no one even comes to visit her. (not even the pastor) To make things worse, when she asked for her home to be returned to her, she was evicted. (this is no joke)

I could tell you a thousand stories like these, but I think you get the point. This happens more than you realize and right in your community. So, where are the poor? Hidden! Hidden in a house that is about to have the gas and electric turned off. Hidden there because they either can't afford to buy medicine after paying their rent, or don't have the strength to walk there.
Power of Faith Ministries does not take a camera crew over to some third world country, find the most pitiful looking children that we can and take pictures of ourselves with them as to "look good". We simply perform random acts of kindness for people who desperately need an act of kindness. We don't blow a trumpet or plaster our faces on national television.

We might simply pay a heating bill for someone who can't (anonymously) We might buy a cell phone and a card with "minutes" so an 87 year old man can call and make his doctor appointments and call "Your Ride" to get him there. Then, renew the minutes every month. (if we can)

All donations to Power of Faith Ministries, go exclusively to "keeping us on line". (support us) When my wife and I give to the poor, they never know where it came from, and we do it out of our own pocket.

If you'd like to help, send an email with your donation, stating that it is for this purpose and that's what it will be used for. Or, Just write "Random act of kindness"

Think about it.