Well this is a true story about a homeless man named Joseph Johnson.
On one fall day several months ago I started chatting to Joseph and he explained he’s been homeless for more than four years. He spoke of his military service and his faith, saying he “hasn’t lost compassion for Christ.” It’s been Joseph’s strong conviction in serving God that has provided his bedrock in prevailing against the unbeatable odds of homelessness (long cold winter months and hot unbearable summer months.) On any given day you’ll find Joseph working in the many gardens which he has planted throughout the community. He continues to garden in spite of being diagnosed with a terminal illness. His love of nature keeps him grounded. His Irish, Norwegian, British and Scottish heritage is something in which he takes great pride but he lets you know that above all he believes in God and believes Jesus Christ is the Greatest Teacher. You can see one of Joseph’s gardens on the corner of O and 13th streets next to Rite Aid.
In his gardens he grows tulips, daffodils, zinnias, mums, rose bushes. There is a Granny Smith apple tree, peach, mulberry and plum trees, grape vines, strawberry plants as well as vegetables. He creates his own compost or natural mulches and grows his own seeds. Joseph has stated to me he’s the “happiest men on the planet” and his happiness comes directly from doing the work of the Lord Jesus Christ three hundred and sixty five days a year, twenty four hours a day! In addition, he’s a certified organic farmer and an arborist so he trims his own trees when needed. He spends most of his own money on buying planting materials and does not drink or do drugs.
He also enjoys art and plans to put a sculpture in one of his gardens. He says he has two degrees in theology and thinks of himself as both a priest and a minister. Joseph believes that we are all made in the image of God and that we are all God’s children. He believes everybody should “do the work of the Lord Jesus Christ by giving to the poor and keeping the Sabbath day holy.” Though he is homeless, he donates to charity and believes God blesses him a hundred fold in return. Joseph’s final words to me were that he loves “the beauty of nature, every form of Mother Nature” as well as the beauty of women and the total creation of God.
Wow! It’s hard to imagine losing all worldly possessions and yet still having the compassion to keep giving all you have for the love of God. Now that’s a beautiful thing! I know for certain I’ve learned a lot from meeting Joseph and hope that we can all turn our rainy days, gloomy days, unbelievable days, wait-a-minute days, our most difficult days into to sunny days so that tomorrow can be a brighter day for us all! By what we all do next today…….!
One thing that continues to trouble me about Joseph is the fact that he said he was a military veteran. He served defended and protected this country. Yet where is the help for him, who has given and continues to give so unselfishly?
