“It’s LOVE that make the world go ’round . . . !”
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We all long for heaven where God is, but we have it in our power to be in heaven with him right now – to be happy with him at this very moment. But being happy with him now means:
loving as he loves,
helping as he helps,
giving as he gives,
serving as he serves.
- Mother Teresa of Calcutta
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REAL LIFE STORIES based on LOVE is the FOCUS of this ‘LOVE is LOVELY’ thread . . .
MY MISSION is to help make the peoples of the world ‘more loving’ thus making OUR world a better place to live in . . . also helping US to be equipped with ideas on how to strive to be a “true” reflection of Christ . . . Ambassadors! Hopefully, the real-life stories used (posted) will convey the message that LOVE can be shown in various ways. The Word of God ought to be applied in our daily lives creating LIGHTHOUSES to guide our fellowmen to the kingdom of God. Do YOU agree?
ENJOY READING AND BE RICHLY BLESSED MY DEAR FRIENDS !!!
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The Boy Who Lived Under a Bridge
From the Desk of Sister Tricia Cruise
Imagine being taped to a table and beaten by your father. After years of pain and degradation, emotional and physical abuse, Joey simply gave up hope of being rescued. And so, at just 12 years old, Joey figured it was time to save himself.
All alone, Joey did the best he could to keep himself safe and away from drug dealers and gangs, away from pedophiles who prey on street kids. He left Mississippi and caught a bus to Washington D.C. where he lived in an abandoned car. He wanted to start his life over in California but, when our outreach van found him living under a bridge, Joey had only made it as far as Houston, Texas.
That night we pulled over to ask if he would like something to eat. Food is a great icebreaker with homeless kids — especially if they’re used to scrounging in dumpsters for something to eat. Joey gratefully accepted a sandwich and some juice, and we talked with him a while… it was then that we learned Joey was indeed a remarkable young man
He had a resilience and determination that could have easily been robbed from him after years of living on the street. He told our outreach workers that he went to school and took night classes with adults working to get their GED. He showered at a local homeless shelter and got a part-time job. He even graduated high school before trying to make his way to California.
I thank God that Joey is one of the lucky ones… a kid who didn’t end up becoming a tragic statistic. Gangs, drugs, pedophiles, prostitution — they’re all killing our homeless kids, in cities big and small all across the country.
I wish we had found Joey when he was 12, before he had to spend all those years living alone on the streets. But each night our vans comb the dark dangerous streets of cities all across the country looking for the next Joey… and with God’s help and blessings we will find him sooner rather than later.
“Aspire To Inspire Before You Expire !”
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“I stayed in baseball dugouts, abandoned warehouses, boxes sometimes. I remember staying under a bridge then too. I did okay, mostly.”
– Joey
“I’m so grateful that Joey survived and he’s part of our lives now… committed to saving other kids who are still out there.”
– Tricia Cruise
“Life is nothing without the
sweetness of Love!”
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