two wet socks and spaghetti in a can

I love sharing stories from the church I work at with my friends. Alta Woods United Methodist Church is located in South Jackson on Terry Road. The community surrounding the church is one that has, over the past 15 years or so, seen crime rates increase dramatically and is enveloped now with obvious poverty. The congregation is what I can only describe as a more "traditional" congregation, and decided to reach out as best they could to the changing community instead of closing the church doors.

 This is an attempt to document some of the most incredible people, ministries, and stories that I have ever heard. Each day we see church members, homeless people, those in need of assistance with bills, clothes, or food, or some that just need a break from the heat for awhile. With each time the doorbell rings we all wonder Who's at the Door?


I want to start with a man that we see almost every day.

This man is like many of the people we see each day. He has leathered skin from walking in the sun, dirty clothes, dirty skin, and is homeless due to reasons that we can only assume. We never really know the whole story with each person we see, but we believe that many of those on the street are there because they have a mental illness, struggle with an addiction, have lost ties with family, or a combination of these.  This particular man has no teeth but that does not stop him from sharing all of the latest homeless going-ons around Jackson. He is like many we see, but this man is unique because of his eagerness to give back to us.

Monday I opened the door with a  Snack Pack in hand (these are given out daily to the homeless; that day's consisted of chips, beef jerky, a granola bar, and pop-tarts)  and there was our friend ready for some food with his gift of the day in hand. He collects items of clothing from the street or that he has worn so that we may rewash them and put them back in the Thrift Shop. Though it is hard to consider washing clothes and reselling them, it is his gift to us and we accept it with gratitude.

Monday he brought two wet socks and spaghetti in a can.