It has been a long six years. On September 27th the Mission in Citrus Homeless Shelter will have its sixth Anniversary. Reflecting back and going back memory lane lately. Have had a total of ten days off except for my long term in the hospital and rehab. That was when Larry Gamble had on site homeless shelter running experience.lol.But. He did an awesome job.But no one could have predicted what happened to me. Can still remember the Doctors giving me 15 minutes to decide. Had an honest Christian Doctor. Dr Kim. Since I was a gambling man back then, I asked him the odds. 50-50 , 60- 40 ,70-30. He flat out told me my odds were slim to none. Not good options. Had no choice really. Victoria had Anna and James there in less than ten minutes, and to this day, do not know how she did it. Signed my final paperwork and last thing I could remember is Anna punching and hitting everyone, telling them not to hurt her daddy.Will never put her through that again.Woke up days later, feeling like ten elephants thumped me good. They told me I had died twice on the operating table and survived a Class A thoracic aorta dissection.Very few survived. That anniversary comes up on December 17th God willing.Took me almost a month to walk and only because of a candy bar and soda. They told me I had to get it myself. And then very good friends who sneaked me in Checkers and Reeses. The first four years were very rough. Fighting for survival everyday. And boy did we fight. But we made it. Some days, I wish we still had tents for those who like to complain. We had over 50 of them. And that year temperatures stayed in the teens.Can remember walking to our military meeting tent, and my goatee freezing on the way. No one walked much then. Once they were out of the sleeping bag, they flew to wherever it was warm. The houses filled up quick.And we only had two TVS back then.And we had so many porta potties. When you sat down, it was so cold you froze to the seat.From tents to five shelters.Including our Veterans shelter. We had to close one, but it was a smart choice.You all came a long way Baby..... Kinda burned out now till I reboot again. All that know me know this starts the tough time of the year for me.Still remember so many said that the homeless could never run shelters. Well. Am very proud of all of them, because they proved me right and so many wrong.Never perfect. Never will be.Only God is perfect and Good.Have been looking all around at all of them on Facebook and everywhere else, and I am so very proud of them. They were all pioneers. Kinda like Star Trac. Going into unknown frontiers. Because the Mission became the first. And the one who survived. All the awards that they earned. Running businesses now. Raising hundreds of children, working, paying taxes.Some of them still have it rough. But their survivors.And tough ones at that. Tonight, My Love goes out to all of the past ,and present residents of the Mission. All those who jumped in and gave a hand.All those who helped get us to our sixth year.I can not express in words or through tears how much you are my extended family. You can take the homeless out of the Mission, but you can never take the Mission out of the homeless. I send you out all the LOVE I CAN GIVE AND A BIG HUG. AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 23:57:55 +0000