Part 1 – Things That Nag

I was born in Galveston, Texas but I grew up in Baytown, Texas. And I went to school there, got married there, was gainfully employed there, I used to work for Brown and Root but now it’s Halliburton Brown and Root. Unfortunately, um, I’ve been diagnosed with chronic arthritis and my hip went out on me, and, the way I was raised was, you know, you don’t pay too much attention to things that nag. But, um, it kept getting worser and worser, and I was self-medicatin’ ‘cause I was in constant pain. And, um, then I got to the point where I couldn’t work no more. And that’s when my life started spiraling down, you know. Um, my wife and I separated, um, I went to live with my mother, my brother, a cousin, you know, and, and, um, I was getting unemployment and seemed like as soon as I caught they bills up, I had to go. And you know, I just kept fallin’ downward, downward, and downward. So I started sleepin’ in parks, abandoned houses, abandoned trailer houses, I even slept on the sidewalk and stuff like that you know. It was hell out there on them streets bein’ homeless, man. And I remember one night, uh, I asked God for some help. And he started me on this path to New Hope Housing.

Part 2 – I Wind Up Right Here

I was at Salvation Army, caught the train downtown, I got off on Preston Street, two blocks away from The Beacon. And it took me a minute to get there, them two blocks, ‘cause every step was very painful. I had been hearin’ about Miss Loretta, so I specifically asked to speak with Miss Loretta, and, um, they allowed me to speak to her. And I was there now tremblin’, and, uh, Miss Loretta drawed everyone attention in that building to me. She said, “You all look at this. This man barely can walk and he’s come up here trying to get some housing assistance.” That lady worked with me every step of the way. She just asked me to be patient with her and she will find me something better, which, uh, …happily complied and I wind up right here.

Part 3 – A Champion in My Life

I remember if it only happened 33 seconds ago, um, they told me come get my key. It took me three trips with them big old black garbage bags to move in here, it was a hot day, hot, hot, day. The third time I came, I got on my knees and I prayed and I thanked God for the opportunity that he had given me to be in a place like this. And then I literally kissed the floor of my apartment. And I just sit there and I marvel at what I had overcome. My hat goes off to New Hope Housing. They gonna forever be a champion in my life.