Little Things Count (10/26/1980)

*formerly titled 'I WAS CONTEMPLATING SUICIDE'.

MINISTERING TO HUMAN NEED IS SUCH A REWARDING JOB: Yesterday I visited with a big black man whom I had not seen for several months. Many times I have urged him to worship with us at Forest Hill. Till now he has not but he and I are friends -more than friends we have a genuine affection for each other.

Yesterday, when I met him, he sat down to tell me, "Mr. Loe, I want to thank you again. I am ashamed to tell you, but that day when you asked me if you could help me, I was near suicide. I was so frightened and desperate that I could only think of getting out of it, but since that day, things have been getting better every day. I now have a savings account; my own home with a two-car garage and my family is happy. It would not have been so, if it were not for you. That kind of talk, whether it is true or not, really gets one's attention.

The deed he refers to is a letter--to Congressman Jack Hightower. I had asked the man if he would like for me to attempt to get him government a id for he has one lifeless arm and a crippled leg -for handling TV's . He said, "Yes, I have been trying for ten years, but I cannot get anywhere." He was obviously in need. So, off went a letter. We had a return on it in a week asking for more information. Inside of a month this man had been able to get food stamps, get enrolled in Amarillo College electronics school, and had been provided with a huge tool case full of tools--enough to make the best craftsman jealous. He would report to me, "I am at the head of my class." All he needed was an opportunity. He finished that electronics school to become a good TV technician. And yesterday he told me, "Mr. Loe, Five weeks ago I enrolled in radar electronics school. I will go for 6 years. I already have people asking me to work for them from as far away as San Diego. I can name my price when this is completed, and I owe it all to you."

I would like to take some glory about this, but do you know what my total effort was? Two letters. That's all. It would be so wonderful if more efforts paid dividends like that.  BL