The homeless old man shuffles down
the street. His tattered jeans are held
together with wire, and his shirt filthy.
His stringy, gray hair frames a gaunt, drug-ridden face. No one can see the deep, black hollowness
inside. When the blackness overwhelms
him the old man does the only thing that makes it go away. Crank
George was born on July 5, 1942, in Chandler, Indiana, a lowly town in a farming community. With his mother nowhere to be found and his father blind, by the age of three he and his eight siblings were placed in an orphanage. Fortunately, an aunt and uncle adopted him. George describes his new mom and dad, “They weren’t religious, and they believed in spanking a lot.
At the age of fourteen, George got his first job selling Christmas trees. When he grew up, he owned Southern California-based and, Arizona based electrical construction companies. In 1979, the companies failed, so he took advantage of a job offer from a large General Construction Company taking a position in sales that required extensive travel,
At age 39, he discovered that all the traveling his job required and the meetings he was supposed to attend sapped his energy. He felt that he couldn’t keep up with everyone else. He turned to drugs. “You know, I went to the doctor and he prescribed amphetamine. I felt that I needed it because I couldn’t keep up with everyone else on the job,” he said.
George would fly out to one of the business meetings and not show up, or he would lie over in another state on his way back and not show up to work the next day. A life full of promise and position vanished when he was fired from his job. After roaming the streets of New Orleans he made his way back to California. Then it was in and out of several relationships and many jobs. Nothing it seemed went right except for his drug use. It always made his pain go away for at time. Then it was use your friends until they didn’t want you around any more.
After officially becoming homeless in 1995, George roamed around Rancho Cordova. At first, he relied on his acquaintances for food and a place to stay, but his welcome soon wore out. Eventually, he found a place of shelter and concealment under a little tree off of Folsom Boulevard. During the day, he earned money by making a run for one of the drug dealers in the area. He remembers, “My existence of food would be from the old Lucky’s Super Market dumpster.”
Then one evening, he returned to find his tree home burnt to a crisp. Everything he owned was gone. Once again, he was left with nothing. Disheartened but determined, George scouted around until he found another tree. This one gave him a little more privacy because the branches arced low and were leafy. He liked the tree.
One Friday evening while walking along the street he saw a couple standing in front of a small, store front church called Rock Rancho Ministries. He recognized the couple as his old apartment managers from some years ago. They are known here as Brother Mike Albert and his wife Sister Debbie Albert.
As soon as he walked up to them Brother Albert begin to witness in the Holy Ghost and George became very uneasy. Brother Albert made him promise to show up for Sunday morning service. With the promise secure, Brother and Sister Albert gave him $20.00 to get something to eat. George said he immediately bought some crank with the money and did the crank right away. George kept his promise and showed up for the service. “All I did is weep all thru the service, he said.”
George began to go to Sunday night and Tuesday night services with the Albert’s. About two weeks later he prayed thru to the Holy Ghost during one of the Sunday morning services. He continued to live under the tree with no outward signs of changing his life. His drug use continued and he still came to church services
Then sometime later, the moment of truth and confrontation came one night after shooting up some powerful crank. George found the crank didn’t faze him. It was as if he hadn’t taken the drug into his veins He finally cried out to God. His skinny chest heaved with sobs and confessions. “Jesus if there is anything better than this, tell me, Jesus! I have wasted so much of myself…instantly peace consumed him, and he fell asleep. When he awoke the next morning he knew something had happened to him. He was free! He knew he would never have to do drugs again! God had delivered him, he was totally free…It was at this point he made a decision to really turn his life around and surrender completely to God.
George was led to a drug recovery program where he was to stay for two months. He was able to arrange for an outreach team to come into the recovery center and preach a bible study on acts 2:38, infilling of the Holy Ghost, and oneness of God. As a result, about 45 men and women were baptized in Jesus Name and received the Holy Ghost.
At the end of program brother Mike Albert helped George get a job with the storage company they worked for. Brother and Sister Albert also rented George a room at their apartment office complex for a while. In a few short months George was able to buy a low mile one year old car. It seemed like the Lord just wanted to bless him continually.
Sometime later George became engage to Sister Albert’s Mother, Sister Wilma Grisham and George continued to be bless with promotion to managing a facility for his employer.
After a few months George and Wilma were married in the Rock Rancho Church. God was working powerfully in their lives.
It seems it was to not continue going so well. George went out to witness to an old friend one day and the old friend invited George to so some crank and George accepted it. Then for a while George tried to maintain his job, hide his drug use and kept going to church then one day he had to give a random drug test and all came to an abrupt end. The penalty was severe; First George was terminated by the employer and put off the property. Sister Hart was allowed to continue in the apartment and in the job for a while.
She did not want anything to do with George so his relationship was lost. He was now back on the street. He had lost job, home and marriage, all in one day. After a few days, George was accepted into a two month drug rehab program thru the Veterans Administration. The rehab was located in the mountains about two hours drive from Rancho Cordova.
With a broken Spirit and a contrite heart George was able to forgive himself and find that Gods Grace was sufficient for him. George says he died out on that mountain that afternoon and every thing changed for him. He was truly becoming a new creature and undergoing a renewal of the mind. He and Sister Hart were able to get back together. George found a job in a machine shop, and took on a part time job as well.
Brother Hart is nothing short of a walking testimony of God’s amazing power and grace. He moved from a tumultuous life under a tree to a tranquil home in a nice neighborhood-which ironically, is not far from the tree where he stayed all those lonely months. But it was also the tree where he had cried out for Jesus and was set free…
George was born on July 5, 1942, in Chandler, Indiana, a lowly town in a farming community. With his mother nowhere to be found and his father blind, by the age of three he and his eight siblings were placed in an orphanage. Fortunately, an aunt and uncle adopted him. George describes his new mom and dad, “They weren’t religious, and they believed in spanking a lot.
At the age of fourteen, George got his first job selling Christmas trees. When he grew up, he owned Southern California-based and, Arizona based electrical construction companies. In 1979, the companies failed, so he took advantage of a job offer from a large General Construction Company taking a position in sales that required extensive travel,
At age 39, he discovered that all the traveling his job required and the meetings he was supposed to attend sapped his energy. He felt that he couldn’t keep up with everyone else. He turned to drugs. “You know, I went to the doctor and he prescribed amphetamine. I felt that I needed it because I couldn’t keep up with everyone else on the job,” he said.
George would fly out to one of the business meetings and not show up, or he would lie over in another state on his way back and not show up to work the next day. A life full of promise and position vanished when he was fired from his job. After roaming the streets of New Orleans he made his way back to California. Then it was in and out of several relationships and many jobs. Nothing it seemed went right except for his drug use. It always made his pain go away for at time. Then it was use your friends until they didn’t want you around any more.
After officially becoming homeless in 1995, George roamed around Rancho Cordova. At first, he relied on his acquaintances for food and a place to stay, but his welcome soon wore out. Eventually, he found a place of shelter and concealment under a little tree off of Folsom Boulevard. During the day, he earned money by making a run for one of the drug dealers in the area. He remembers, “My existence of food would be from the old Lucky’s Super Market dumpster.”
Then one evening, he returned to find his tree home burnt to a crisp. Everything he owned was gone. Once again, he was left with nothing. Disheartened but determined, George scouted around until he found another tree. This one gave him a little more privacy because the branches arced low and were leafy. He liked the tree.
One Friday evening while walking along the street he saw a couple standing in front of a small, store front church called Rock Rancho Ministries. He recognized the couple as his old apartment managers from some years ago. They are known here as Brother Mike Albert and his wife Sister Debbie Albert.
As soon as he walked up to them Brother Albert begin to witness in the Holy Ghost and George became very uneasy. Brother Albert made him promise to show up for Sunday morning service. With the promise secure, Brother and Sister Albert gave him $20.00 to get something to eat. George said he immediately bought some crank with the money and did the crank right away. George kept his promise and showed up for the service. “All I did is weep all thru the service, he said.”
George began to go to Sunday night and Tuesday night services with the Albert’s. About two weeks later he prayed thru to the Holy Ghost during one of the Sunday morning services. He continued to live under the tree with no outward signs of changing his life. His drug use continued and he still came to church services
Then sometime later, the moment of truth and confrontation came one night after shooting up some powerful crank. George found the crank didn’t faze him. It was as if he hadn’t taken the drug into his veins He finally cried out to God. His skinny chest heaved with sobs and confessions. “Jesus if there is anything better than this, tell me, Jesus! I have wasted so much of myself…instantly peace consumed him, and he fell asleep. When he awoke the next morning he knew something had happened to him. He was free! He knew he would never have to do drugs again! God had delivered him, he was totally free…It was at this point he made a decision to really turn his life around and surrender completely to God.
George was led to a drug recovery program where he was to stay for two months. He was able to arrange for an outreach team to come into the recovery center and preach a bible study on acts 2:38, infilling of the Holy Ghost, and oneness of God. As a result, about 45 men and women were baptized in Jesus Name and received the Holy Ghost.
At the end of program brother Mike Albert helped George get a job with the storage company they worked for. Brother and Sister Albert also rented George a room at their apartment office complex for a while. In a few short months George was able to buy a low mile one year old car. It seemed like the Lord just wanted to bless him continually.
Sometime later George became engage to Sister Albert’s Mother, Sister Wilma Grisham and George continued to be bless with promotion to managing a facility for his employer.
After a few months George and Wilma were married in the Rock Rancho Church. God was working powerfully in their lives.
It seems it was to not continue going so well. George went out to witness to an old friend one day and the old friend invited George to so some crank and George accepted it. Then for a while George tried to maintain his job, hide his drug use and kept going to church then one day he had to give a random drug test and all came to an abrupt end. The penalty was severe; First George was terminated by the employer and put off the property. Sister Hart was allowed to continue in the apartment and in the job for a while.
She did not want anything to do with George so his relationship was lost. He was now back on the street. He had lost job, home and marriage, all in one day. After a few days, George was accepted into a two month drug rehab program thru the Veterans Administration. The rehab was located in the mountains about two hours drive from Rancho Cordova.
With a broken Spirit and a contrite heart George was able to forgive himself and find that Gods Grace was sufficient for him. George says he died out on that mountain that afternoon and every thing changed for him. He was truly becoming a new creature and undergoing a renewal of the mind. He and Sister Hart were able to get back together. George found a job in a machine shop, and took on a part time job as well.
Brother Hart is nothing short of a walking testimony of God’s amazing power and grace. He moved from a tumultuous life under a tree to a tranquil home in a nice neighborhood-which ironically, is not far from the tree where he stayed all those lonely months. But it was also the tree where he had cried out for Jesus and was set free…