Jonell Permenter and her 20-year-old granddaughter were making their way through a neighborhood near downtown Atlanta. Ariana, who had just finished her shift at work, hitched a ride with her grandma and was headed home to Tucker, a northeast suburb. They chitchatted as the blocks melted into a blur. Soon, they noticed a sidewalk lined with tents and trash — lots and lots of trash.
The pop-up encampment was clustered under a bridge, giving some protection from the elements.
"Grandma, let's stop."
Although Jonell spent a great deal of time working with homeless individuals, she was uneasy. Ariana was persistent.
"Come on, Grandma, just pull over to the side."
Jonell obliged.
As Jonell scanned the scene, she noticed most of the residents were sound asleep even though it was midday. Meager belongings were all within arm's reach. It wasn't much, but it was theirs. Jonell's eyes came to rest on two men, sitting near a truck, quietly talking.
Before approaching the pair, Jonell headed for the trunk of her car, where she pulled out two Homeless Care Kits. Provided by Cru® Inner City, the kits include a warm blanket, socks, gloves, a scarf, hat, toiletries and spiritual materials.
"We asked them if they were willing to talk and be prayed for," she said.
They both agreed, so Jonell and Ariana lent four ears and two hearts to the conversation.
"We began to start talking about their life journeys, and how they came to this," Jonelle said.
Grateful to be heard, Calvin shared he wasn't always homeless; he used to have a "good life." As the man talked, his friend sat in silence at Calvin's side, periodically nodding his head to make an exclamation point.
"I began to just give him my undivided attention because you could tell that was all he needed, just someone to listen," Jonelle said. "He went on to say how he was a preacher and was married for 10+ years, happily."
Everything began to unravel, Calvin said, when he contracted HIV from his wife, who subsequently admitted to an affair. He stood by her, offering forgiveness and a willingness to work through the broken vows and the harsh reality of living with HIV. Several months later another setback came by way of a serious car accident, which landed Calvin in the hospital for two months.
When he was finally released from the hospital, Calvin discovered his wife had stepped out on him again, this time also cleaning out all of their financial accounts.
"That was the last straw," Jonell said. "He filed for a divorce."
In the midst of the broken marriage, the church released him.
Calvin was left with the haunting echo of his wife's parting words:
"No one is going to want you with what you got," she sneered.
The loss and depression was so great, Calvin confessed, he attempted suicide more than once.
"I could not believe what I was hearing," Jonell said. "He was so full of emotions, and by this time tears were flowing from both of us. He kept questioning, 'why him?' and was expressing how angry he was that God allowed this to happen. I allowed him to calm down and to just release those emotions before I begin to speak."
Jonell assured Calvin it was okay to be honest with God about his feelings.
| "I shared with him that the intensity of his current struggle actually bears witness that he was designed for something greater." | "I asked him if he thought about going back to church and then he just got real quiet," she said. "We tried to encourage him to not be sad and down and all of that, 'cause there's always a way to get out." Jonell admits she was taken aback to find a pastor so heartbroken and living on the streets. It was something she never envisioned. |
"We sure shed some tears, yep," she said. "He was in tears and he made me shed tears. It was just so sad. He was sick of life. He could hardly take it."
In an effort to encourage Calvin, Jonell used the Scriptures to remind him of God's promises: He is forgiving, he walks with us even in catastrophic storms, and he never leaves us.
"I shared with him that the intensity of his current struggle actually bears witness that he was designed for something greater," she said. "I felt so sorry for him. I'm still thinking about it and have tears in my eyes now. I told him if I had a big house, I would take him home with me."
After spending time filling Calvin's spiritual needs, praying together and singing a few gospel songs, Jonell turned to the practical, asking Calvin if he was hungry.
"Yes ma'am, but I don't really want to bother you," he told her.
"I said it's no bother if you're hungry, I'll buy you something to eat."
| "I cannot believe how God works. I was just trying to figure out how I was going to get a blanket, but now I got all of this." | She handed him a $25 gift card for food and a Homeless Care Kit, which her church, New Life Outreach, received as a partner ministry of Cru. She also gave one to his pal, who remained by Calvin's side the entire time. |
As Jonell handed Calvin the Care Kit, he began to laugh.
"I cannot believe how God works," Calvin said. "I was just trying to figure out how I was going to get a blanket, but now I got all of this."
The statement brought another round of laughter.
"I told him. 'God has not forgotten about you so do not forget about Him. He got up and gave us a hug. He said he was going to try to do better. He just really touched me," she said, a fresh round of tears spilling down her cheek.
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Lori Arnold serves as senior writer for Cru's inner-city ministry.
Photo of two homeless men by Timur Weber/Pexels
Calvin's testimony demonstrates that no one is exempt from suffering, but God's loving touch eases despair. Share his story on Facebook or other social media platforms by using this link:
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