Day 2--March 11, 2007

“I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.” I said those same words yesterday when I was miles away, but it definitely had a different meaning when I was stuck in traffic 10 miles away. Yesterday it was said out of excitement. Today it was said out of despair! I got to Philly around 4 PM, later than I wanted to, but with plenty of time to meet some people. The first man I met was Bill Tyes, the guy who opened his home to me. This was another area God worked out for me. I was told that I got lucky because the original plans fell through so they hustled to get me a place—Bill was the answer. His sister had just moved out of her house and so her house was vacant. Bill moved in for the week and allowed me to stay with him. The reason this was a blessing is that I was able to get a house within minutes of the Salvation Army and the K&A! Bill was a wonderful man who provided me comfort and a friend at night before bed.
As I waited for Major Wittenberg, the man whom I contacted to get connected to the area, I experienced the work Salvation Army does. The first man I met was a homeless man just released from the hospital who had been given the wrong pair shoes and wanted some that fit him right. Bill went downstairs and brought up a brand new pair of Velcro shoes. Homeless were coming in and out, and it was because every Sunday they feed a big lunch in the afternoon.
Finally, I got to sit down with Major Wittenberg. He told me a little bit about the corps (SA) and what they do as a ministry, inviting me to help with anything I wanted. He then asked for what my vision was and I proceeded to tell him. He offered support and assistance and said that if anything changes as far as my vision or plans then to talk to him. His one line advice for me was, “Here we walk with no fear, but with caution/wisdom/discernment.” Before he left, I finally met Luke Barney. Luke was the building director or recreation coordinator or something. Wittenberg wanted me to get in touch with him to see if I wanted to get involved with him at all (he knew I was doing something with basketball and Luke coordinates open gym basketball Wed, Th, and Friday nights). Luke showed me around the corps, the basketball court, dance studio, after school program area—they do a lot there. I stuck around for the youth worship they have on Sunday nights. The youth had just gotten back from a weekend retreat, so not many youth came; however, I did meet one man whom Mary tells me is an answered prayer. His name is Danny. He told me he grew up in the SA, even played bass guitar in the worship band. But he hadn’t been there in 25 years. The day I came to Philly happened to be the day he stepped in the SA in a long time. He went there for the morning service and said the message was so powerful he wanted to come back at night. I got to know a little about his background and his family. Mary calls him an answered prayer because Danny… is a cop. He said he would like to kind of cover my back and watch over me from a distance as I do my ministry. He said he would give Wittenberg a call and see how he could help. I may be doing this alone, but it’s possible I will have someone watching over me. He said he would watch over me because I told him something that shocked him. I had told him I was here to do this “basketball ministry” and asked if he knew if many guys played during the day at the park. He said, “Well, since I’m a cop, I don’t know many nice guys to play with. I deal with people with problems and in trouble; so I don’t know where you can find nice guys to play with.” What I said next took him by surprise. I said, “I’m not concerned about nice people. Give me the roughest of the rough.”