Today we met Willie.  He was such a kind, sweet, and gentle man. From the moment we met him, it struck me that he was not like a lot of the hardened street people that we meet.

When Jerry began to hand out food and drink to Willie, he immediately asked him if he would like to know how he could have eternal life.  Willie responded, "Yes, I would."  And so Jerry entered into a dialogue with Willie that showed him how he could ask Jesus into his heart.  Willie listened, his heart was softened, and another soul was added to the kingdom of heaven today.  The angels are surely rejoicing.

In addition to this, Willie shared with us that he needed to pick up his glasses at an optical store on S. Orange Blossom Trail.  Willie shared with us that he is legally blind.  When you looked at him, you could see that his eyes looked very cloudy.  He pulled out the business card for the optical place and I told him he could use my phone to call them.  He asked me to dial the number, and that he would take the phone as soon as they answered.  I did, they answered, and Willie found out his glasses were ready.

The next hurdle was getting Willie to the optical place.  Even though we do not hand out money to people on the streets, Gleon gave Willie $20 to buy a bus pass so he could get to the optical place. We left knowing that Willie would indeed be able to pick up his glasses today.

One of the best-loved hymns of all time is Amazing Grace.   It starts out like this:

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now am found.

Was blind, but now I see.

Yes, today, it seems appropriate to remember this song and know that Willie was once blind but now he sees!  And...coincidentally he will receive his new glasses today.  Oh how I hope we see Willie again!

In Christ,

Barbara