Our New Friend, John

We had an incredible day this past Wednesday with our friends downtown at the Salvation Army and Mercy Ministries. I call them "friends" because I really feel like we are making progress in connecting with the folks in the community. We are learning their names, their stories, and their true needs. One of our new friends is John.



I met John right when we arrived at Mercy. I immediately noticed his long hair & cowboy boots. If we had been anywhere else I would have bet money that he was a guitarist for the Allman Brothers. I struck up a conversation about his well-worn boots and we immediately hit it off.

John is a former United States Marine. He served our country faithfully in Vietnam and is quite an interesting character. He is clearly hardened and obviously jaded from a life of war, poverty, and misfortune. He's struggled for a long time and you can tell. He told us the story of how he ended up in Augusta. His bags and all his belongings were recently stolen from him at the bus station in Atlanta but he still had his bus ticket. So, he went to the only place he could really go...here. On top of that, John was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. Despite all of this, what I'm going to share with you next will likely break your heart. It broke mine.

When we were talking about John's broken in boots I pointed out his long hair and told him he looked "like a rock star". He chuckled and brushed it out of his face. "Yeah, I know I look like I just walked out of a bar. But, I'm growing it out for Locks of Love. Those kids don't deserve that and it's the only thing I can really do to help."

Tears immediately welled up in my eyes.

This man who really has nothing & just had everything he owned stolen from him had found a way to give something of himself to help make someone else's life better. Although John's life has been tough and he's seen many hard times, he knows there is more to life than just himself. He'd found a way to make a difference and he was doing just that. Incredible.

John's had a rough go of it as of late but because of your generous contributions and donations to this cause we were able to give John a set of toiletries, a change of clothes, some food, and a new Bible. We are making a difference in this community and YOU are helping.

Our hearts are overwhelmed and grateful. So are our friends.


Be Love,


Jamie for Kingdom Here

Little people with BIG HEARTS!

Kingdom Here Ministries would like to thank the preschool at Trinity on the Hill UMC. The preschool made Kingdom Here Ministries the mission focus for the month of February. As a result, hundreds of pairs of socks, gloves, hats, and other clothing items have been donated to us. These items will be distributed to the ‘less fortunate’ in downtown Augusta. Isn’t that AWESOME???!!!! We are thankful of the support of the community, and it is great to see our children developing servant’s hearts.

Galatians 6:9-10
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season
we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then,
as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone…


God Bless,

Beau from Kingdom Here

“Greatest Mistake”

There is so much we can learn from King David. Like most of us, Mighty David had it all. Even so, he wanted more. His lust for another man’s wife, Bathsheba, could have been his downfall. However, David eventually chose to admit his sin and God used David to highlight the power of His grace and the power of His restoration. It was his “Greatest Mistake”.


My new friend Thomas is in need of that restoration. Thomas is like many people I know: smart, well spoken, clean cut, and hard working. Thomas grew up in a military family. He had the chance to see all corners of the globe. His family settled in Panama City Beach, FL, where he finished high school. After school, Thomas chose to follow in his father’s footsteps. He joined the National Guard and served for several years. Recreational drugs became a thorn in his side. Thomas was no longer the man that his parents had brought him up to be. A decision to steal a couple guitars and sell them to a pawn shop turned his world upside down.


Fast forward a year… Thomas, in his early 20’s, is on probation. According to him, he stays ‘here and there’. His only possessions have been lost along the way. He does have a Bible, but admits he ‘just needs to open it more often’. He has found work at a local BoJangles. He is down… but not out! God is restoring him… the work has just begun! We met Thomas at a local shelter. After sharing the story of David and Bathsheba with Thomas and praying with him this past Wednesday morning he told our group, “Thanks for what you are doing. I don’t plan on seeing ya’ll when you come back. I’m on my way out of this mess.”


I am thankful that God has chosen Kingdom Here to be a small part of an incredible transformation. I believe in Thomas and I believe in many of the men we have come in contact with. I hope that Thomas has made his “Greatest Mistake” and that God will continue to change his life. Pray for Thomas. Pray for the homeless men in Augusta. Pray for restoration.


God Bless,

Beau w/ Kingdom Here Ministries

Progress

Hey Folks,

Our intent is, and always has been, to develop a relationship with the homeless and needy in inner city Augusta while meeting their deepest needs in their darkest hour. We believe that, in doing this, we will be able to effectively minister to and deliver the Gospel of Jesus Christ to these people.

We are making progress.

We took our first trip on Thanksgiving Day 2010. Since then we continue to see many of the same faces. We are learning names and they are beginning to remember ours. More and more they are opening up to us about their situations. This past week's trip was incredible. We took a crew of 8 men and ministered to around 50 people. The numbers of people serving are growing in proportion to the number of people we are serving. God is good!

We also think it's very important that we give a special thanks to all the folks who have helped this ministry grow legs by donating their time, clothes,food, and resources. You are an incredible blessing to us & this community. More than anything, though, we are grateful for your prayers. Oh, and go visit Jason Adams' Chic-Fil-a in Evans, GA - Mullins Crossing, as well as the Bo Jangles on Washington Rd in Martinez. They donated breakfast this past week.

Check us out of Facebook and Twitter too!

In closing, here are a few pics of Kingdom Here in action. More to follow soon!

Be Love,

Jamie for Kingdom Here

The Difference Black Pants Can Make

Daniel. If I had to guess I would say he was 17, maybe 18. We met him on our most recent Wednesday morning trip to downtown Augusta and meeting him was one of the many blessings we have received since we began this ministry.

See, in our ministry many of the people we meet are older, tired, worn down and, quite honestly, "street weary". They've been stuck in their circumstance for so long and everything they’ve done to try to escape their situation has failed. So they feel...well, hopeless.

But not Daniel. He was young & his enthusiasm and eagerness to "get out" was contagious. He still had hope.

He walked over to the back of the car where we were distributing clothes, biscuits, and Bibles. He introduced himself and I asked him if there was anything he needed. He looked at me and said, "I need black pants." I thought it was an odd request.

"Man, I've got lots of pants, just not any black ones," I said as I began shuffling through a box, looking for something that could substitute.

"They really need to be black," he said.

"Okay man, I'm sure I can get my hands on some black pants for you by the next time we come down." My curiosity was beyond peaked. So I asked him, "Daniel, why do you have to have black pants?"

He pulled his thin jacket back to proudly reveal a logo on his black collared shirt. I recognized the logo. Pizza Hut. “Cause, man. I’ve gotta have clothes for my job!” It was then that I noticed the pair of pants he had on. They too were black, kind of. It was clear that they hadn’t been washed recently & they were, no doubt, his only pair.

We talked a bit more; some about how he ended up standing outside the day shelter behind us, but mostly about his plans to, one day, never see it again. I could see it written all over his face – this kid was going to change his situation. I was inexplicably proud of this young man and I hadn’t known him 5 minutes.

The skeptics never fail to ask us, “How do you know that the guy you just gave that coat to isn’t going trade it for drugs?” Well, we don’t. Maybe he will. Hopefully he won't. But let me ask this: What if we allowed these questions to keep us from going to the needy out of fear that the clothes & food that our incredible, selfless donors give would end up on the “homeless black market”?

Then we wouldn’t meet people like Daniel.

Consider this: What if finding Daniel a new pair of black pants meant he could keep his job at Pizza Hut? And what if his job allowed him to save enough to afford and apartment? Then, what if he kept hope and was able to attend college one day? And what if Daniel, one day, became a successful business owner, a doctor, a judge, a senator, a pastor? What if Daniel became the next Martin Luther King, Jr.? Or the next Colin Powell? Or the next Billy Graham?

Look, I know it sounds “big”. But, what if the new pair of black pants we find Daniel are enough to make an impact for generations to come? I believe that the little things we do in life make the biggest impact.

So, we’ll find Daniel a pair of black pants. Or two.


Be Love,


Jamie for Kingdom Here

Snow Days...

The Southeast was abuzz last week with the arrival of the first snow of 2011. It’s funny how our society reacts to these situations… Many flocked to stores to buy some extra goodies to ‘survive’ the next couple days of being trapped at home. Kids, teachers, and employees from around the area watched the news to see if they had to report to work or not. The next morning, the old ski gear was dug out of the attic, and trashcan lids became sleds. All in all, despite the fender benders, it’s kind of exciting.

As I tried to sleep last Monday evening, I thought of the ‘less fortunate’ living in downtown Augusta. I would define my feeling as uncomfortably comfortable. There I was… warm bed, nice home, a fireplace, beautiful wife and son, plenty of food… tremendously blessed. But why? I thought about Wayne, Parnell, Quincy, Austin, James, Eric, and all the other homeless men of Augusta that where, quite possibly, sleeping outside that night.

What can we do about this issue? Make no mistake, Jesus tells us what to do. It’s easy to close our eyes and turn our backs to the issues that face our society. We see a homeless man on the street and assume that he ‘brought this on himself’. The reality is homeless men can have amazing stories. Some were business owners. Some battle addiction. Some hit a ‘financial brick wall’ due to the cost of medical care. Some are former star athletes. Some fled other countries. All are God’s Children.

A homeless man named James recently told me, “Just because you are homeless, don’t mean you are a drug addict.” Either way, we’ve got to step up to the plate and spread God’s Love.

Join us in our mission to be the hands and feet of Christ. Let’s bring His Kingdom Here!
God Bless,

Beau for Kingdom Here

Amos

I'm amazed at how the words from the prophets' of the Old Testament still beckon our hearts today. From Isaiah to Malachi, each message still applies to our lives, including this Word from the Lord spoken through Amos:

Amos 5:21-24
"I can't stand your religious meetings. I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.

I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making.

I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me?

Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it.

That's what I want. That's all I want."

God's Word is still true today. His promises never fail. And his love for his people in need never waivers. Nor does his demand for us to love and care for them in their darkest hour. All he wants is justice...oceans of it.

Be love,

-Jamie for Kingdom Here