Friday, January 31, 2014


2049  [When I first posted this- I added the names and addresses of the events- this post redacted those from the public version. But I still felt it was important to post it].

 WHAT YOU HEAR IN THE EAR- SHOUT ON THE MOUNTAINS [2nd post on this subject- 5 more to come-].

THE POOR AMONG MEN SHALL REJOICE- FOR THIERS IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD


This week I want to cover some of the police abuse cases that have been reported to me since I have told the local homeless population that it was time to document any illegal activity that they know about.

At the end I want to tell a story of how harassment works- and effects people.

But first.

Last time I posted I simply wanted to document little cases- how it works.

Today I want to report cases- things that have been reported to me- that rise to the level of Felony indictments. 

At the start- I want to say I DO NOT KNOW if these cases are valid- when the local guys have  come to me I told them flat out ‘I DO NOT WANT REPORTS UNLESS YOU BELIEVE THEY ARE REAL- I NEED NAMES AND EVENTS THAT CAN BE INVESTIGATED’.

Ok- first.

It had been reported that Officer [redacted] told [redacted] [Lives in Flour Bluff- C.C. Tx.]  ‘LEAVE THE BLUFF- OR I WILL MAKE YOU DISAPPEAR’.

If this is true- it would be in the category of a terroristic threat.

I asked the person who reported this to me- ARE YOU SURE!

He told me that [redacted] did tell others at the time- and he’s afraid to go to the cops because [redacted] might do something.
[Note- the reason I’m posting this is because this is not the first time I heard that this officer has threatened people to ‘leave the bluff and don’t come back’- it seems to be a 25 year pattern].

The other case involves [redacted].

Here where I live there’s a local gang that goes by the name of the AB’s.

It has been reported to me that [redacted] went to his place- a trailer park located at [redacted] Corpus Christi Tx.- and took the guns that were stored there.

I asked the person who reported this to me ‘was it in his official capacity- simply confiscating illegal weapons’.

He believes he took them for either personal use [re-sale?] or to give them back to the gang.

3rd case.

I want to be careful here- and I debated about adding this one in.

When the guys on the street found out that I was collecting cases- this is one that I have heard for many years [20?].

So I knew this has been talked about for a long time.

It has been reported to me that [I redacted this one]

 This story has been around for a very long time.

2 things- if this is not true [as well as the other cases] then GOOD!

Let’s put an end to the story then.

I only mention this one because the people on the street feel like over the years this might have been used to cause[ redacted] to either not report crimes [because of black mail].
[redacted stuff here]


Now- when stuff like this happens- people respond in various ways.

You hide- or get very mad.

I got very mad.

[redacted stuff]
Sure enough- Huey got arrested- and a couple of days later- Mark Baker.

Mark was [is] a cook at the local mission.

He was arrested on the charge of the murder of Sam More [look it up- it was Feb. 2013- I think the 6th homicide of last year?]



Now- you would think ‘gee John- this sounds strange- after all- he did murder someone’.

No he didn’t- it was indeed a false arrest.

You must understand- at this point- I began to believe all the stories about [redacted name]

[redacted]

Mark was plastered all over the news- and Walla- they let him go 3 days later.

The way the media explained it was ‘oh gee- we made a mistake.’


I recently met the actual guy [who was later arrested and they did not indict].

He looks nothing like Mark.



This was all over the news!

Mark Baker was working with me at the time- he would give us extra food that Timons couldn’t use- I would take it to the halfway house.


ROGER- I have known Roger for around 25 years.

Roger is a local drunk who [redacted] hates.

A few years ago Roger- drunk- cursed at [redacted] while drunk and threatened him. 

[redacted] charged him with a terroristic threat- and Roger did 4 and a half years in prison.

Roger is harmless [there are others who indeed are not].

Roger used the same sort of language that [redacted] has reportedly used on others- hundreds [thousands?] of times.


Yet for one instance- Roger did over 4 years in prison [This is what I posted about the other day- God hates unjust scales- when the law is not applied evenly]




During my experience with [redacted]- the ‘huffing and puffing’ action described above.

I read a verse at the time ‘I WILL DELIVER THE POOR FROM HIM WHO PUFFS AT THEM’.





Years ago at the fire dept. I told a good friend

‘You can put in your time- do your best- but if you work under a captain that takes out his problems on the fire fighters- then it’s hard. Just work your shift- and after 24 hours- you go home’.

As I went thru [and continue] this experience.

Someone who knows about [redacted] told me he used to get bullied in school.

He is a local kid [man].

Went to the bluff schools and all.


Over the years- to be honest- some of what I hear the guy’s say- when they are dealing with him.

It seems like some of this might be true.

Guys have told me [redacted] will argue with them ‘you will respect this badge!’

And stuff like that.

Hell- I wouldn’t’ engage with them [if I were the cop].

I’d just arrest you- and that’s that.


It gave me the same ‘feel’ of when I told the guys at the Fire Dept. ‘just put up with the captain [if he is like this] and when you leave- your home’.


I get the sense that [redacted] is sort of like that.





This week I just give you a few cases- the serious ones are being documented and sent to the proper authorities.



When some of my friends heard that [redacted] was ‘looking for me’.

They gave me advice ‘oh- get a different car- don’t come out during the day’.

That’s how harassment works.

Some have said ‘John- it’s like I’m living in a police state’.



WHISTLER [Don]

The other day my buddy Whistler told me about his experience with [redacted]

Now- to understand the pettiness- but also relentless harassment- this story fits.

Whistler was riding his bike on the sidewalk one day [there must be more John- I mean surely cops aren’t out to get bike riders!]

There is!

Whistler ‘whistled’ at another person as he rode by [redacted] car.

[redacted] put the lights on- and yeah- was in hot pursuit.

For what?

The guys on the streets have lots to deal with- I’m sure the cops are looking for gang activity- or a drug thing- right?

[redacted] had 3 possible- severe- violations.

1-      Riding a bike on a sidewalk
2-      Having no rear light
3-      Possible ‘assault’

 Huh?

During this serious incident- something touched [redacted] on the back- he accused Don of assaulting him.

With a leaf [this is really quite unbelievable].

A leaf fell on him from a tree.


Of course the assault would be a felony- that was dropped.

Oh- I forgot- one violation was not using a turn signal [hand] while turning.

Each one of these violations- beside the assault- are about 150 bucks.

So- for all 3 [no reflector- no hand signal- and riding on the sidewalk] your facing a 500 dollar set back.

The homeless don’t have that kind of money.

This is not the first time I have heard this- there are hundreds of these stories.

John- you must be fibbing.

That’s what’s sad- this is true!


Normally the guys don’t make it to court- so they lose the case- have no money for a fine.

And yes- the city puts out a warrant for you.

Then [redacted] has you out on a warrant- and the saga goes on.


Whistler- to [redacted] surprise- went to court.

What happened?

The judge thought it was laughable- and asked Don if he could pay 20 and end it.

He did.


Now- all the time and money on this.


And this cop will wait for you- and do it again- for 20 years.


This is the flavor of harassment.

WHOSOEVER SHALL GATHER TOGETHER AGAINST THEE SHALL FALL FOR THY SAKE


NOTE- Let me make a note here. As I listened to these stories over 25 years. I really got the sense that [redacted] sort of sees his job like I mentioned above [the fire dept example].
You master every possible violation of the law- what in biblical terms you call ‘the letter of the law’. Then you use this knowledge- and badge- to go after those you deem unworthy to live in your area.

When this cop engages with these guys- using the same language.
Then one day- arrests one of them on a terroristic threat and puts them in prison for 4 and a half years.
It’s not funny.
He seems [and what I sense] to kind of be- in a way- one of them.
Having grown up in the area- all the guys having lots of instances like this.
He has become comfortable with it.
Possibly to the degree that some serious crimes- committed by him- he seems to have a sense of impunity.
If you engage in this same language [I’ll make you disappear- etc.]
Someone like myself- does not see it as a game at all.
Do I have to now worry that my kids might go to jail because they rode their bike without using hand signals?
I don’t see any of this as a game at all.
Hopefully my documenting all this will put an end to it.
Recently our Police Dept. did a big public campaign on how they are not going to respond to minor events.
So they could put more cops on the street for serious crimes.
I applaud our new chief- I think he’s doing a good job.
But then to have a cop like this- tying up the system for the ‘bike event’ seems counterproductive to say the least.


BILL

Bill volunteers at the mission where I meet the homeless.

Bill is an injured vet- around 62 years old [ If I remember I’ll post his pic on FaceBook]

I met him a few years ago- very nice guy.

I was helping at a food ministry on the other side of town one day.

I met some guy I never knew before.

He asks me if I know Bill- from the Bluff.

‘Sure- he’s a great guy’.

Once again [out of thousands of stories] he says to me

‘You know [redacted] gave Bill a 150 dollar ticket- for not using the Crosswalk’.

Bill has a leg injury- and drags his foot.


Bill had a hard time walking to the crosswalk- and instead cut under the overpass [on his way to volunteer his time at the mission].

Got busted- with a 150 dollar fine.

He was saving up for an apt. - it set him back a month or 2.

[NOTE- Iv’e since spoken to Bill and asked him about this story- it did indeed happen like I wrote it- but- it was another cop. I could have simply left it as written- because it was reported to me that way- but- I want to be honest with these- so this example was not [redacted].


All of these examples- are to me- true harassment.

Once again- the cop will park- wait- watch.

Do it again- over and over- yeah- it becomes oppressive after a while.

Why does he do this?

He has said- thousands of times- that he wants to rid the bluff of the homeless- and the ministries that help them.

This is no secret- he has reportedly threatened them thousands of times.

Just one time should have been enough for a terroristic threat.

He has been doing this for 25 years- it’s time for it to stop.

‘And they journeyed- and those who were around them did not pursue after the sons any more- for the terror of God was on them’ [when you finally document stuff- those who have a history of harassing the poor will stop].

‘For the oppression of the poor- for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord- I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him’

‘He will regard the prayer of the poor and not despise their prayer’

RACISM- This report came to me from an older lady- whose daughter was an addict.
It happened a few years back- but I never wrote on it.
The woman [who I know to be honest] told me she met a nice Black man at the pool.
As they spoke- he gave her an account where 2 cops- seeing him walking- followed him and repeatedly said ‘what you doing here Nigger- don’t you know Niggers don’t belong here’. The man told the lady that he just kept walking- agreeing with the cops. He knew they were trying to cause him to react. I add this because I never wrote on it- and being I’m sending these out- I wanted to document it. [I don’t know the names of the cops- but it was not [redacted].

A few things;

Because I heard- well let me say- it’s ‘more’ than just heard.

I have spent the majority of my life with street guys.

Over the years I have taken them out to eat- had them at the house [many have slept here during tough times- Huey had some busted ribs- spent a few days in a room for the street guys].

[As a matter of fact- as I write- Huey is sitting here- watching Shawshank Redemption]

So these thousands of stories- ‘[redacted] did this- threatened so and so’.

These stories came to me right after the incidents.

It did indeed always bother me- I felt I needed to write on it.


Over the years- I used to kid a friend of mine- a street guy.

Whenever I mentioned the police- he never cursed- or got angry [well it was Henry- a good Christian man who is homeless].

There just came a sense of oppression on him.


You might think I’m going overboard- by sending all these documents out to just about every outside law agency in the country.

But- in a real way- this needs to end this year.

 In the coming weeks I’m collecting just a few of the accounts that rise to the level of a federal crime.

A cop can’t continually use language like ‘ leave- never come back- I’ll make you disappear’.

Thousands of cases over 25 years.

               
THE NET THAT HE LAID TO TRAP THE POOR HATH CAUGHT HIMSELF

HE HATH SAID ‘NO ONE WILL SEE’

THE LORD GOD OF THE HOMELESS SAYS GO

[ redacted] He reported to me that Officer [redacted] told him to leave the Bluff and never move back- if so- he would arrest him without cause. Hugh’s testimony to me is that’s exactly what happened. Let’s find out.

NOTE-  Before I posted this- I sent multiple copies out- including Eric Holder- the U.S. attorney General- Governor Rick Perry- Greg Abbot- Texas Att. General- just to name a few.



NOTE;

This week- as I have been getting the names and addresses of these cases.

I also am praying about how much we should post- and mail out.

Why?

Aren’t you simply reporting what the guys are telling you?

Yes.

At the same time- I don’t want this site to simply be a sounding board for disgruntled guys.

As of now I think I’m going to redact some from the public version of this post [above].

One I’m not going to post- because even though I have heard this story the most- It would be too personally damaging to [redacted]

I think it probably happened- but for now I’m just going to drop that.






Yesterday I had a good home meeting at our halfway house.

I was [am] pretty sick right now- think I must have the flu.

Was dead tired yesterday- had no plans on a meeting.

But John David texted [my partner in the halfway house].

And he was wanting to do the meeting.

I teach/pray for the guys.

We had a good meeting- I brought the usual guys from the Bluff- and another old friend of David’s who he used to do meth with years ago.

Chris Mcusker was not there- he’s a good old boy- studied for the priesthood at Notre Dame- as his brother Jude.

Chris is a severe alcoholic.

He’s been in and out of our halfway house a few times.

Real smart- good guy.

The guys told me he was back in the ICU unit- again.

He’s even been on his death bed a few times this past year.

Then he always seems to recover.

As I left the meeting- dead tired [thought I was gonna pass out- almost hit a car in the HEB parking lot- and sober!]

But I wanted to stop at Memorial Hospital and pray for Chris.

I seen him- he’s on a respirator- I think he’s not going to make it this time.

I said a short prayer- committed his soul to God- and blessed my buddy- maybe for the last time.



In a way- we [me- the ministry stuff I do] we are all- along with the cops- trying to achieve the same goal.

We want to stop crime.

If we can get some of the guys to recover- to change- then that prevents crime.

But in many cases [the bike story- the injured vet] when the law comes against them in petty ways like this [heck- the cop should have given the inured vet a ride- not a 150 dollar ticket for heaven’s sake!]

It defeats the purpose- it sets the guys back from moving forward with their lives.

As of now- I’ll post this post.

Maybe this will be enough for people to see some of what goes on behind the scenes.

I don’t write these things to get even with [Redacted] [though I think some of the many reports I have been getting might be for this reason].

I write these things so he- all- can get a better grasp on the total picture.

Last year I told people ‘you don’t know- this cop will arrest you for nothing- if he has a grudge’.

Most people thought that never happens- now you can see- at times this does indeed happen.

 When I do these posts- I start at the beginning of the week- and as the week moves ahead- I pray about what to leave in- and what to take out.

I try to hear God ‘do you want me to post- do you want me to delete the whole thing’.

I always leave that option open.

Yesterday I read Psalms 85- it says ‘Mercy and Truth shall meet together’.

 I felt the Lord said ‘John- I want you to post the truth about this stuff- but do it in mercy’

So- I’m trying- very hard- to strike a balance here.


I’ll end with one last example.

Last year I felt like the Lord was going to let me deal with this- but I knew it would take time- and I actually didn’t want to deal with it.

In another post I mentioned how I collect the prayers of the prisoner.

When [redacted] charged Roger with a terroristic threat- for the same language that he has reportedly used on the guys- I was mad.

Roger was charged with the same crime as if you were indeed a terrorist.

Roger is a harmless drunk.

I have been running into Roger these past few months.

One day I asked him- remember- I’m ‘collecting’ these guys prayers in a way.

‘Roger- when [redacted] put you in prison for 4 years- what did you pray’.

Roger- at first- said ‘no- you can’t know- don’t ask me’.

Then he said ‘John- I prayed for [redacted]- I even prayed for Mendoza’s wife [another cop] when she was sick’.

Yeah- mercy and truth met together.





NOTE- Let me give you an example of how posting/ writing letters has an effect.

Last year- right before I ‘moved’ back to New Jersey.

John David [Huey’s brother] called me ‘Yeah- had to bail out my brother Huey last night- [redacted] busted him’.

David told me the story- some trespassing violation at stripes.

Supposedly Danny Gil made a complaint on Huey- Huey hit him a few weeks before [even though Gil hits people all the time!]

Anyway- Huey got busted [I wrote this above].

 I did write letters- complaining about it- sent them to the chief [Huey told me that he did not have a no trespassing in place any more- they expire after 2 years.]

About a week later- Huey comes by.

 Now- I know Huey ‘talks’ to [redacted]- everyone knows this.


It was kinda funny- to be honest.

Huey- for some strange reason- went on about his arrest- but he added a caveat- 


Yeah John- ‘when Officer MENDOZA arrested me last week’

He went on- about 15 times- and said ‘when Mendoza arrested me’.

He said ‘I asked him- why did you arrest me’ [now- at this point I knew [redacted] probably asked Huey to tell me this].

Huey said ‘Mendoza’ told him ‘we just want to get the street people off the street- it hurts the tourism- value of the properties- etc.’ [though this was a fake story about Huey’s arrest- yet old Freud can be seen here- I think this is indeed one of the reasons [redacted] goes after the guys].


I think [redacted] probably got a note from the chief ‘hey- John’s mad’ [I was irate in my letter about all of this- and Hueys arrest was part of it].

And [redacted] simply wanted me to think he didn’t make the arrest.

But- I knew it was [redacted]

As a matter of fact- when I got back from New Jersey- Huey brought something up at the halfway house- and I said ‘who arrested you again’.

He almost slipped- then couldn’t think of what ‘other’ name he used in the story he told me 3 months ago [see- I’m more of a detective then Huey! Plus- Meth effects the mind].

Then- I kinda snapped ‘Huey- I know who the f— arrested you- and were gonna deal with it this year’.

The guys saw my ‘demeanor’ change.

Andy- Huey’s brother- said ‘Gee- I see you’re still paranoid about [redacted]’

Yeah- I have a temper problem.

But- it shows you that my one simple letter- did get results.

Huey did say ‘you know John- the cops don’t even look at me when they drive by now’.


I have more of an advantage to write on this stuff- because my ministry is unique in a way.

I live with these guys- hear stuff- and people do tell me stuff.

I also see- that even though Huey is one of the guys that has been on the ‘bad side’ of it.

Yet- he was doing this favor for [redacted]- trying to get John to ‘calm down’.



THIS SHALL BE WRITTEN FOR THE GENERATION TO COME FOR HE HATH LOOKED DOWN FROM THE HEIGHT OF HIS SANCTUARY TO HEAR THE GROANING OF THE PRISONER TO LOOSE THOSE THAT ARE APPOINTED TO DEATH

THOU SHALT KNOW THAT THE LORD HATH SENT ME UNTO THEE

FOR HE THAT TOUCHETH THE POOR TOUCHETH THE APPLE OF HIS EYE

HE WILL REGUARD THE PRAYER OF THE POOR AND NOT DESPISE THEIR PRAYER

I WILL CONTEND WITH HIM THAT CONTENDS WITH THEE AND I WILL SAVE THY CHILDREN [POOR]

NOTE- ‘John- are you trying to get even- or being petty by making this public’?

I’ve prayed about this- I even sent a letter and email to the local chief when I saw the pattern.

Many of the guys who have experienced this- even actual threats- are simply afraid to say anything- that’s part of harassment.

You view- not just one cop- but all- thru this lens.

They don’t want to go to the police- they don’t view them as a source of help- because one of them is pursuing them like this on a daily basis [bike example].

When the Trayvon Martin case came up- as a blogger- I took the side of Trayvon and his mom [who was a Christian].

I lost many readers at the time.

During the trial- one of Trayvon’s friends said ‘we [Black people] don’t call the police- we see them in a different way’.

When any community of people [Black- Poor- etc.] have a history of being harassed- this creates in them a negative view of all of them.

When you try to address it at the local level- multiple times- and it gets worse- then you go to the next step[note- there was indeed an initial result- when I first sent a letter to the chief- I’m sure he talked with the cop. But then he started doing it again. Understand- harassment- like any other ‘sin’ is addictive- at times- you cant help yourself. But- when a cop engages with the guys like this- both sides- getting ‘use’ to it- then boom- Roger does 4.5 years in prison- no longer a game.

Before I posted this- I sent this letter out to multiple agencies- including Eric Holder- the U.S. attorney General.

Like I said when we started this- we want to put an end to it- this year.

HE THAT LEAD INTO CAPTIVITY SHALL GO INTO CAPTIVITY- HERE IS THE PATIENCE AND FAITH OF THE SAINTS
THEY OVERCAME HIM BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY
GOD RULES IN THE COURTS OF MEN

EVERY WORD SPOKEN IN THIS COURT [GOD’S COURT] WILL COME TO LIGHT

YOU HAVE NO POWER [AUTHORITY] OVER ME EXCEPT WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU

AFETR 3 AND A HALF DAYS THEY STOOD UPON THEIR FEET AND GREAT FEAR FELL UPON THEM THAT SAW THEM

THERE WAS GIVEN HIM A REED LIKE UNTO A ROD- AND WITH IT HE WILL JUDGE THE NATIONS



WOE- WOE- WOE- FOR THE OTHER ANGELS WHICH ARE YET TO SOUND




Note- Do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on. Thanks- John. Don’t forget to scroll down on the timeline [FaceBoook] - I have posted lots.




Thursday, January 30, 2014


 2050

THE LORD SAID TO ME- TAKE A GREAT SCROLL AND WRITE IN IT WITH A MANS HAND- Isaiah 8:1

This week I want to cover some of the gaps in our recent study called ‘Abrahams kid’.

I tried to give a brief overview of the whole bible story in a few posts- to make it easier for people to get a grasp of the main theme of the bible.

But- we skipped a lot of good stories- practical things- at the time.

I have been covering the ‘skipped things’ in our house meetings- and want to do a little for our on-line community.

If you remember- I talked about God making promises to people [Abraham and his descendants- the Jewish people].

The promises centered on them having a huge family of people- so many- that you would never be able to count them.

But- if you read this story in the bible- the main characters- are mostly barren [can’t get pregnant].

Sarah- and the other women whom this promise is connected to- are not having kids at the normal time when women have kids.

Sarah was about 90 years old when she gave birth to Isaac.

Even as the promise continues into the New Testament- Elizabeth- the mother of John the Baptist [a key figure in the story- John was a prophet that was to come before the Messiah].

Elizabeth’s husband- Zechariah the priest- was praying for a son, because his wife too was barren [not able to get pregnant].

If you remember- this is a famous story in the gospel- the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah while he is doing his priestly duties in the Temple.

And the angel tells him that his wife Elizabeth will have a child in her old age [much like the story of Abraham and Isaac].

Now- it almost seems like a contradiction that many of the key players to a promise- that ‘your wives will have millions of kids’.

That most of these wives- were not able to get pregnant!

Why did God do this?

God often makes promises to his people- calls them to various purposes/ministries- that in the natural- they can’t perform.

There’s a verse in the book of Zechariah ‘not by might- nor by power- but by my Spirit saith the Lord’.

God calls people to tasks- that when the mission comes to pass- we can’t say ‘see- look what WE did’.

He often gives us assignments that do indeed look impossible.

He also rarely gives you all the details at the start.

Even though he knows them.

The prophet Isaiah says ‘God knows the end [outcome] of a thing from the start’.

Again ‘ I HAVE DECLARED THE FORMER THINGS FROM THE BEGINNING AND THEY WENT FORTH OUT OF MY MOUTH AND I SHOWED YOU THEM- I DID THEM SUDDENLY- AND THEY CAME TO PASS’.

Ephesians says ‘God chose us- from before the world was made- to believe in him- and to do a specific task in life’.


God ordained you to fulfill this purpose from day one.

It’s interesting- both John the Baptist- and Jesus- were given their names by the angel Gabriel.

‘You will name him Jesus- for he will save his people from their sins’.

Zechariah- John’s dad- was told ‘his name will be John’.

The bible says the people were surprised that he named him John- because there were no other John’s in the family.


The names denote their purpose [John means beloved].

In a way- God was saying ‘I have set purposes for these children- they have now come [been born] at this time- for a purpose I ordained before I made the world’.

FOR THE LORD HEARETH THE POOR AND DESPISETH NOT HIS PRISONERS



2- Had a real good meeting at Pop’s house yesterday.

Pop’s [Bobby] used to sing and play piano for some famous old time gospel groups- The Gaithers- Imperials- etc. he even played a CD for us where he was playing piano in the background- not a homemade CD- but discs that were released professionally.

I have been holding home church meetings just about every day now- in different cities- spots around town.

I have been surprised that many of my street friends have been interested in attending the meetings.

And some of the guys- so far- have quit drugs.

Why Now?

For many years- I too was an alcoholic- but I’m in my 2nd year sober- and this needed to happen to get results.

Jesus said ‘a bad tree can’t produce good fruit’.

If you’re not clean yourself- you really can’t help others.


I have so many interesting stories/prophetic things [dreams- visions] that have happened this last year- it would be impossible to tell them all.

Let me give you just one.

Over the years I have learned to ‘see’ my buddies- who have died- as still being in our group.

In the mornings- when I pray- and work with the guys on the street- I keep the old timers who have died ‘with me’ in this community.

Last year- before I went to New Jersey- I made a journal- with verses- pictures- and little art things- things I found on the streets of N.J. and Texas while I was doing my long walks [If I remember I’ll post pics of the journal on Facebook].

Before I left- I found just one actual picture of Bill.

Bill died a few years back- many of the guys I’m working with now never met Bill.

A couple of them do.

Bill had a severe limp- and walked in a unique way- you could recognize him from a mile away.


So- I have this photo of Bill in my journal- it was hanging up on the bulletin board at the mission- I ‘acquired’ it for my journal.


The last few weeks- as I was praying- I had a sense of Bill ‘walking and leaping and praising God’ [Acts]


On my long walks- I started running into an old street friend- Carpenter Tim.

Tim, Bill and I go back for 25 years.

Tim was part of the original crew.

But many of the guys now don’t even know Tim.

He has a homeless camp in the Bluff- works- does his routine- and you don’t see him on the streets.

He’ll ride his bike into town- and that’s when I have been running into him.


I have a prayer spot off the Oso bay- he’ll catch me there every so often.


The other day I ran into Tim at the store.

He pulled up in the parking lot and tells me-

‘Hey John- I had this strange dream about Bill the other day- it was so weird’

‘Bill was running and jumping at the Wal Mart parking lot- there was an oil rig right there [I actually doodle pictures of oil rigs when I do my little art stuff- to me it’s an image of a Well- not the type you read about in the bible- but that’s why I do use this image- you know ‘Texas well’ thing]

I told Tim- it was a prophetic dream- because I just recently was ‘seeing’ this same image in my prayer time [Not the exact image- but an image of Bill healed- and rejoicing about what we were doing in the Bluff].

The next day I ran into Michael at the mission.

Mike has been on the streets for many years.

Works multiple jobs- just bought a nice van- and will be getting an apartment soon.

Mike is a talented artist- he has painted a couple of pictures for me- for the ministry.

[I consider him as the artist for the ministry]

One is hanging up on the wall of my partner at the halfway house [by the way- Mike just met him yesterday].


So when I saw Mike- I asked him ‘I want you to do another painting for me- I’ll explain it to you when we sit down’.

[I posted the pictures of Bill on Facebook- you can see Mike making the sketch]

We went back to the house and I shared the dream Tim had.

As Mike was making the sketch- I thought ‘geez- maybe I’ll just have him sign the sketch- and keep that’ [I’ll also post the sketch].

It was so cool- all these signs and stuff- from my street friends.

BEHOLD- I- AND THE CHILDREN THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN ME ARE FOR SIGNS AND FOR WONDERS. Isaiah 8:18


3-

HE THAT TOUCHES YOU [The poor- homeless] TOUCHES THE APPLE OF MY EYE [GOD].

Yesterday I had about 12 of the street crew at the house.

Not a bible study- per se- but sort of a fellowship.

Lots of these guys are using [drugs- etc.] but at the house it’s a drug/alcohol fee zone.

So- they are learning how to get together- [I bought some chips and stuff] hang out- and have fun- all without having to use.

I told Arthur ‘hey- check out my room- I have the pictures hanging up from my New York [N.J.] trip I made last year’.

I printed the phone pictures from my journey- have the ‘street crew’ [the guys I befriended from North Bergen- Rick, Nick and Billy] hanging on the wall.

Huey was crashed out on the spare bed- and Art and Timothy checked out the room.


Pops called me- Pops is sort of an elder.

He has been in town most of his life- was an alcoholic for many years- has lots of very interesting stories.

He lives in a very run down Apt. in a drug area of town, a few blocks away from the halfway house.

He is one of the most famous AA people in South Texas.

He sang- wrote- played piano with famous old time gospel groups [Gaithers, Imperials- wrote some of Dottie Rambo’s famous songs].

I have made it a habit to answer the phone when Pop’s calls.

He just wants to talk- he does ramble on some times- but I see it as ministry.

Often time’s people feel better when someone simply listens to them.

I have a few friends like this- the other guys often say ‘I don’t like so and so- he talks nonstop’.

Part of it is the guys do suffer from metal stuff- Bi-Polar- etc.

And that’s part of it.

But it’s therapeutic to let them talk- and at times they do have beneficial stuff to say.

Anyway- when Pops called- we were all watching The Apostle [Duval].

It’s one of my favorites.

I just recently have had an old friend actually start coming to the meetings.

I have known him for years- he always politely told me he can’t be one of those ‘phony’ type Christians.

Always smiling- quoting the bible.

I have told him ‘trust me- I’m not like that either’.

But he sat thru a teaching I did.

I never read from the bible- or make notes.

I just talk from memory and quote stuff- more of an informal format.

Mike had some good questions at the end.

[Mike is the artist for my ministry- I just posted some of his stuff on Facebook].

He also told me [this was a meeting from the other day] that some of the things Pop’s said really helped him a lot.

I kind of had the feeling when Pop’s was ‘rambling’ that God was going to use it.

I knew both of their backgrounds.

Pops told us that when he was a baby- his father beat him and rolled him in a blanket and threw him out of a window.

They revived him at the hospital.

His dad was an alcoholic.

Over the years- he had many experiences of being rejected by is family.

It was a situation where he was raised by an aunt- as he grew up they never told him that his real mother had a bad background- and he always thought his aunt was his mom.

Yet the ‘step mom’ favored her real boys- and Pop’s always felt rejection.

His mom was also addicted to heroin- and used- when she was pregnant.

Pop’s was a heroin Baby.

He told me of times when he was around 5-6 years old- and he helped himself to some type of strong drug that was around the home.

It was in one of those bottles like where you pinch the little plastic syringe- and the drops come out.

He was an addict from a young child.

He served in WW2- was a corpsman [like me] and eventually became a registered nurse.

Got a job in a Dallas hospital- and wound up at one point working the nursery- treating the Crack babies.

Yeah- he came full circle.

I practice the habit of not only reading the bible thru- but also trying to ‘hear’ what God is saying for each day.

Sometimes a friend will mention a bible chapter- or a key phrase.

I’ll try and read that chapter later when I get home.

When I was in North Bergen last year- a funny thing happened.

I hung out a lot at the White Castle restaurant that I used to eat at when I had the Munchies as a kid.

And I would meet the guys there.

There were a few of the senior crowd- not street guys- who hung out there too.

And my street friends all knew them.

They were all friends- sort of like the ‘White Castle Crew’.

Rick got a kick out of Tony, an older guy who served in the war.

He was retired- and drank every day.

He’d sneak a bottle in- and sip it during the day.

He would sing the song ‘You are the sunshine of my life…’.

But he changed the words- it went like this

‘You are the Apple of my Eye..’

To the tune of ‘you are the Sunshine..’.

Rick got a kick out of that.

When he called me up- I would kid him- and sing the tune.

He would crack up.

I guess you could say it’s the theme song for my North Bergen crew.

So- last week I was reading Proverbs.

In chapter 7 I read ‘the law is the Apple of Gods eye’.

Hmm?

Kinda fits- in a way.

Then I’m with Henry- a homeless friend.

He mentions Zechariah chapter 2.

I read it the next day- it says

‘He that touches you- touches the Apple of my Eye’.

Yeah- that fit better.

BLESSED IS HE THAT CONSIDERETH THE POOR- THE LORD WILL DELIVER HIM IN TIME OF TROUBLE- PRESERVE HIM AND KEEP HIM ALIVE- HE WILL BE BLESSED IN THE EARTH.

 [God will bring into judgment those] BECAUSE HE REMEMBERED NOT TO SHOW MERCY, BUT PERSECUTED THE POOR AND NEEDY MAN, THAT HE MIGHT SLAY THE BROKEN IN HEART.

FOR HE SHALL STAND AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE POOR, TO SAVE HIM FROM THOSE THAT CONDEMN HIS SOUL.

BEHOLD- WHEN YOU SEE ALL THESE THINGS- KNOW THAT IT IS HERE- EVEN AT THE DOORS [Jesus Christ]




Note- Do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on. Thanks- John. Don’t forget to scroll down on the timeline [FaceBoook] - I have posted lots.