I saw God.

I Saw God.

Often times on my runs, I feel the presence of God.  I get into some sort of active meditation.

On my run this past Wednesday in Atlanta, I was feeling particularly close to God.  I was enjoying the beautiful scenery, praying and had this feeling something  was going to happen.

As I ran through Piedmont Park, I came to what appeared to be the boundary of the park but the trail continued on to the left.  I decided to follow it.

I ran for a bit and then saw a bridge.  I was on the verge of running through it when I noticed clues under the bridge that there were people living under there.  I have to admit I picked up my pace a bit, my heart beat a bit faster and was hyper aware of my surroundings.  I looked up to my left as I ran under the bridge and a gentleman looked down at me with a friendly smile and said, “Hi”.  I responded in kind.

As I exited the bridge underpass, I ran a couple of strides and turned around.  I decided to give the homeless man some dignity and ask him if it was safe to run down the path I was on.  He explained it was the railway belt or something like that.  He gave me direction and said not to run past the railroad tracks.

I thanked him and joked if I didn’t make it back in a bit, to look for me.

I was amazed at how he had his place set up.  It was set up like an actual home.  Old pictures lined the top of the concrete wall, I could see an old poster framed in plastic propped up in the dirt.  It was evident the pride he had in his living area. 

As I ran on, I had this feeling I was supposed to meet him.

I continued on the trail where I ran into another man, Scott.  Again, greeted him, shook his hand, introduced myself and felt as though I was supposed to meet him.  I explained to Scott that I was running a race for the Family Scholar House and what that was.  During our conversation, Scott shared his story. 

Scott was in the Vietnam War.  When he came back from the War, he moved to Atlanta and held a part-time job for a while but it didn’t last.  He became homeless and now he just gets by.  He doesn’t have any family around.

I told him I wished I had something to give him and if I ran through the area again, I would bring something.  He humbly responded, “Don’t feel like you have too.  But if you do, thank you.”

I told him about my blog for the race and asked him if he minded if I mentioned him.  He smiled and said, “That’s fine.” 

I took a picture of him and told him I would keep him in my prayers and ran on.

I reached the railroad tracks and turned around as the other man suggested.  When I ran back toward the bridge, I felt again like I was supposed to talk to the man under the bridge.  As I ran through, he was gone.  I thought, “Man, and he was supposed to be looking out for me?” I figured that with talking to Scott, I took too long and he must have thought I ran a different direction.

Anyway, a bit disappointed he wasn’t there, I ran on.  I thought, “I guess if it was God’s will and meant to be, it would have happened.”

I ran on various trails throughout the park and then low and behold at a picnic table- there he was.

We both smiled and waved.  I ran up to him, shook his hand and introduced myself.  He introduced himself.  Everyone, meet James, “Skeets”.

He said when he didn’t see me come back, he walked down the trail a bit looking for me and just assumed I took a different route.  I explained to him about my run, purpose of the run and feeling a need to help the poor.  I told him I talked with the man down the trail from him and that was the delay in my getting back.  He couldn’t believe the other man, Scott, had talked to me.  He said he has never talked to him and doesn’t really talk to anyone.  He told me when someone gives him money, he likes to give away half of it.  He will often walk down to Scott (he didn’t even know his name until I told him) and offer him money.  Scott will wave him off like he doesn’t want any money and then James will just sit it beside him.  James said the only thing he really knows about Scott is he likes to drink regular Coke and doesn’t think he drinks alcohol. 

James said many of his friends think he’s crazy for always giving away money.  I was amazed.

In the course of our conversation, he shared his story with me.

His mom was shot when he was 12.  He tried to find the person that shot her but couldn’t.  He said he then just took it out on others.  I didn’t ask exactly what that meant but he said his record wasn’t good and really no one would hire him. And so the vicious cycle began.  He was on his own at a young age trying to make it.

He said as time went on , he changed his ways but his record followed him.  Still no one would hire him.  He would do jobs for cash and after a while had enough money to buy chips and snacks to sell to people. He said the police found out he was doing this and warned him to stop because he wasn’t paying taxes on any of it.  He said the police like him around the area so they just gave him a warning.  That was his livelihood so he continued.  He got caught again and the police said, “Skeets, this is your last warning and if you are caught again we are going to have to put you in jail.” He said he stopped for good.

He said he has been in his “home” for a while now.  I said how great his place looked.  I could sense his pride.  He told me he takes in “homeless” people when it is cold or raining.  That really moved me. 

He said he makes a little money from the business near his home as “behind the scenes security”.  They pay him cash to make sure no one breaks into cars in the parking lot. 

James was married and has 3 kids.  He said he has a good relationship with his oldest son.  His oldest is in a community college and trying to make it.  He said his son “will come and kick it with him”.

It sounded like his being homeless in adulthood had been on and off again.

It came up in conversation it was his 45^th birthday the next day.  I told him I needed to continue on my run and explained my blog.  He was happy to be a part.

I ran away with a deep sense of purpose. 

I saw God in both of them.  This can happen in the most unexpected places and times.