New Friend

Charlie B

Yesterday I met Charlie B for the first time. He had filled out an application for having his house painted. Because he was gone during our last painting project he was next up for getting his house painted. We had talked over the phone numerous times over the last four months. I don’t think he understood that I was serious about having New City paint his house. So as our next painting project date approaches it was imperative that I meet him face to face and see his house.

As I pulled up to his house he was already there with a friend. Charlie B is on disability and drives an old truck with a trailer that he hauls away trash or junk. Our greeting was nice and I was quick to explain what New City was about and asked a few questions that ultimately had him share his story. I was taken back as I listened to his situation. He had lived in this house three years ago and there had been a fire that had killed his fiancé. He has three kids but only his daughter in high school is still with him. He explained how he had been attempting to restore his house over the last three while living on a fixed income. As we walked into his house it was filled to the ceilings with stuff, lots of stuff. The walls were exposed and the ceiling had new sheet rock on it but not done correctly. I was horrified to see that he had allowed someone to do a bunch of work that was clueless about construction work.

Wow – I was taken back and realized that God had bought us into his life to be a spiritual light and a help to getting his home back. It turns out that the group doing his house is a collection of businessmen from Scottsdale who do service projects a few times a year. My prayer now is that there will be a few guys who will partner with me to help get Charlie back into his house. I know that painting the outside isn’t going to help him get in but it will be a start and will form a partnership that I believe will make a difference.

I know that there are no accidents in life. I truly believe that God opens and closes doors as we walk. This is another story in the New City/Barrio Nuevo journey. He happens to live in our painting neighborhood and is just doors down from one of our teen’s home. I look forward to meeting his daughter and seeing God do a work of reconciliation in his heart and a work of restoration in his home.