This story may be a little longer than most, but it is well worth the read. It was written by my friend, Kristin Taylor. It is an incredible story of what God can do when someone says yes to Him. Kristin, her family, friends, and many volunteers have been feeding up to 400 homeless people every Sunday for 25 years. Through the years, food, paper products, clothing vehicles and much more has been provided by donations and the hard work of those helping. Below is a glimpse into what T.H.O.R.N. does. T.H.O.R.N. stands for Thankfully Helping Others Real Needs.
"This picture is of me and our poster child…Jimbo 1997. There are so many stories that I could share, but this is one of my favorites.
On Thanksgiving Day, 1997, I ventured out with my 12 children to give away our Thanksgiving dinner to any homeless people we came across that day. Disgruntled, the kids got into the van for our adventure. Our first stop was a gas station in Tampa. Upon exiting the van, I noticed legs sticking out beneath some bushes. Jimbo, a Vietnam Veteran who had fallen on hard times following his return from the war and the subsequent death of his beautiful daughter, sat there in the dirt hoping to avoid being noticed by passersby. I walked over and said, “Are you hungry?” His reply was, “Are you a cop?” I joked that I doubted if a ‘cop’ would wander Tampa with 12 children in tow. I asked if we could sit and have dinner with him and he agreed. It was a sweet mix of fear and excitement. I found in a very short time that he had fallen deep into alcoholism and lost his will to live. After meeting the kids, saying a prayer and eating turkey, a smile broke through on his weary face. Seeing this touched all our hearts and it was very difficult to drive away and not shed a tear.
Looking back, I can see how the Lord gave me a new brother at that moment and truly opened my children’s eyes to the needs of people around them That day, I never thought I would ever feed the homeless again because, after all – this was a lesson to my children in compassion, or so I thought. Jimbo was the first of 40 people we fed that day. By the time we left, my children promised I’d be back with sneakers and a jacket the next day. I found out they promised that to every man I saw! Thus, the ministry grew from helping disabled children in Samoa to now having a homeless branch in Tampa.
Jumping ahead many years, Jimbo’s struggle was a battle for his life and his soul. He grew to love us so much and loved God, but did not love himself. This is so true with many of our brothers and sisters on the streets. Over the course of many years, Jimbo would stay with my family for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinners and became another member of our tribe. To this day, it brings a smile to his face every time we mention it.
About 8 years ago I was shocked by the news that Jimbo had been found dead in the woods. We were all devastated. I wanted to find his remains and give him a proper burial, but his body was nowhere to be found. The following Sunday, I returned to ask the guys if they knew where they could have taken him. Just then, Jimbo appeared across the street! He walked towards us like Lazarus risen from the tomb. We were ecstatic. I’m not sure how the misinformation of his death made its way to us, but I was so thrilled it wasn’t true. However, a few weeks later, at that same stop, I received a call from Tampa General Hospital, saying they had a patient named Jim who had my business card in his wallet with a note to call in case of an emergency. They explained he was found following a heart attack and was in a coma and was not expected to live. They hoped I would come and identify him. Our hearts sank.
The girls from THORN and I went directly to the ICU at TGH and found our sweet buddy lying there. At first, I didn’t recognize him because he was clean-shaven. After a closer look, we realized it was him. All of us gathered around him and prayed over him for healing or, if it was his time to go, we asked the Lord to welcome him home. Just before we left, I pulled out my trusty lipstick (which I never go without) and put a thick red layer on my lips. I kissed him on his forehead to leave our mark so that the nurses would know this special man was loved. All the girls followed suit. Jimbo was covered with kisses all over his cheeks, hands, and forehead. It was a sight to behold! As we turned to leave, we heard a voice saying, “Hi girls…what are we doing here?” Just then, a ‘Snow White’ moment happened. Our Jimbo awakened with a kiss. Not only did he awaken, but he awakened sober for the first time in a decade or more!
That day marked the first day of the rest of his life…SOBER. The miracle of that moment has never left me. I think about it any time I get disheartened and think God might want me to switch my focus away from homeless ministry. Each time I remember that this one soul was gifted an extension because God loved us all enough to show just how much one lost sheep means to Him. So, I get up and keep moving forward.
As of our 25th Anniversary of THORN, Jimbo is alive and well, and yes…Sober. He comes out every Sunday for dinner and still lives among his friends who still struggle with addictions. He is proof that God can and will change their lives, if they ask. We are patiently waiting for the rest of them to follow. I hope this story will inspire you to love the seemingly unlovable. They all have a story beneath the addiction that needs to be heard, prayed for and healed. You may carry the light that dispels their darkness and helps them find their way home. Please feel free to share with your friends. You never know who is crazy enough to believe that God will use them to feed 400 people every week for 25 years without a plan and a ton of money. Faith is a great gift. You just walk…believing that it will all work out. And it does."
Please share this ministry with your friends and family. We are 100% Volunteer, so every donation of food, supplies, clothing, first aid and the gift of money enables us to continue each year.
To volunteer, individually or with a group, please call Janie: 813-205-0745
Kristin Taylor is available for concerts/speaking engagements worldwide. Call 813-239-4259 or email thornhomeless@gmail.com
THORN Ministries, Inc 16148 Boyette Road Riverview, Fl. 33569
To donate to their ministry, please copy and paste the link below to go to their GoFundMe page
