Finding James

Today I want to share a recap with you of my day yesterday. I pray you take the time to read even though it is a long post. In order for you to follow along, please watch this video, paying close attention to the last couple minutes featuring the interview with James (it starts around minute 3). 

Invasion Charlotte Campaign Video from Starscape Media on Vimeo.


Amy is a friend of mine and I was meeting her for lunch uptown yesterday. She asked me if I would go with her in order to find James. Someone has offered to fly James to a treatment facility to help him beat his alcohol addiction. Of course I wanted to go with her! We decided to eat lunch before setting out on our mission. As we were eating, Amy received a text message from a friend saying he had just passed James and how he immediately recognized him from the video. This friend had no idea of Amy's plan to go find him! She asked the friend to go back to him and tell him that she was coming to talk to him.

We met up with the friend a short time later, but he had been unable to locate James. For the next three hours we all drove around the several block radius where James was last seen. As we began talking to other homeless people, it became evident that most every one knew James. We were told to check in several places. One lead came from the clerk at one of the gas stations where James frequents. He advised us of a building at the end of the street where many homeless gather. We ventured back there and a worker in the building told us of a path behind the building where we should look. The three of us walked back there in search of James. What we found was a mini campsite. It was obvious people "lived" there, but at this time nobody was home.

Another lead the worker in the building gave us was to check near the strip club. So we ventured towards the strip club. While on our way there we spoke with another homeless gentleman who pointed to an abandoned car wash across the street and told us it was where James "lived." We checked several other places before heading to the car wash. When we drove up there were two men in conversation. We introduced ourselves and they introduced themselves as Tommy and Tod (which is Dot spelled backwards as he explained to us). They were friends with James and informed us he had just left to go up the street to ask for money. We learned Tommy lived on the streets with his wife Sheila. Sheila soon joined us and we spent a while in conversation with them and praying with them. We did not share with them the reason we were looking for James. Within several minutes of our conversation Tommy shared that if he and his wife could enter an alcohol treatment center together, then they would go tomorrow if possible. Amy shared with them the work of her ministry and asked if she could work that out, would they seriously be willing to go. They both assured us they would. They let us know where their "home" is so we will know where to find them. I am believing God will work out a way for them to go to treatment together.

Sheila shared with me a little more of their story. They moved to Charlotte from the northeast because Tommy had been promised a job. When they got here, the job fell through. They had money at the time and a place to live, but their drug addiction quickly consumed the funds they had saved. They have been on the streets for about a year now. They each have children that are now grown. There is something that happens to you inside as you begin to have a real conversation with someone so "different" from you. You start to realize we are not all that different at all.

After talking with them we set out to find James. Sure enough, he was exactly where Tommy, Sheila, and Tod had told us he would be located. When we got out of the car, James was terrified. You could see the fear on his face. If you've ever approached a lost dog that wants help, but is afraid of your intentions, then you have seen the look in James' eyes. Amy approached him while the two of us stayed back a little. When she initially reminded him who she was, he said he did not remember. However, as we talked to him for a while he started talking about meeting her at the gas station. It slowly came back to him the conversation they had previously shared. We told him how we had been looking for him for hours and shared with him the places we had looked. When we told him about the place in the woods he got a bit angry and told us to NEVER go back there because there were dangerous people back there. I believe we were divinely protected as we searched for James because we never felt in any danger!
As they continued talking, my heart began breaking. Amy explained what was being offered to him. The chance for help. The chance for recovery. The chance for a life off the streets. He replied, "honey, I'm 58 years old, there ain't no hope for me!" He further explained how he's been on the streets for 30 years and it's the only life he's ever known. He said he knows he will die at there. He asked what he would do if he didn't live on the streets? We talked to James for well over an hour. The more we got into conversation with him, the more his walls began to come down. He admitted he was too scared to go to treatment. He had beat drug addiction and he knew the withdrawal symptoms were bad. He was scared of what he would go through in order to stop abusing alcohol. Amy assured him there are options now to help control the withdrawal symptoms, but he was still scared. This is all from a man who is blind in one eye, has been shot (according to him 11 times when he was in his 20's), has been in jail, and has lived on the streets for 30 years. Who knows all the other things Jesse, a.k.a. The Outlaw, Jesse James, has seen in his life? Yet the idea of change terrified him.

We went to the store and got him some water, chips, and some other items to help make his day a little easier. He informed us he would take them back to his "home" and share with his friends. He explained how they all look after each other on the streets. If anyone gets a little bit of food, they always share. I'm not going to lie, this made me a little jealous. How generous are we, as Christians? How often are we willing to share out of our lack? Many of us are quick to share out of our "extra" but rarely out of our lack. James and his friends get a simple principal we often miss. How much more could we share if we weren't so focused on always have the "best" of everything. Instead of the $5 coffee, how about the $1 one instead?

We left assuring James that this was not the last time he would see us. We will be back to check on him and to continue the offer of help. Will you PLEASE join us in agreeing for James' recovery? Amy told him how she had shared his story with HUNDREDS of people and there were that many people who are praying for him. You could tell by the look on his face that he did not believe her. We are standing in the gap for James. We know God created him for a purpose other than begging on the streets. Just as the blind beggar at the gate was told to pick up his mat and walk, we know James has to be willing to "pick up his mat" so he can walk! Pray with us for the strongholds of fear to be broken off of him!

"When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, Do you want to be made well? The sick man answered Him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me. Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed and walk. And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked." John 5:6-9

Please also join us in believing we will find somewhere willing to take both Tommy and Sheila for treatment. Pray in advance that once a place is found and the offer is made, they will both be willing to go for treatment.


Amy snapped this picture as we were laughing. James turned into me laughing. It may be the best hug I ever received.