Ron and his wife Debbie had been Christians for most of their marriage, but one day Debbie heard of the Union Gospel Mission, and feels the call to do more than donate funds. This just happens to be the mission across the street from which Denver had taken up residence near a Dumpster. Denver had built a reputation as the dangerous man on the streets, the one whom other drifters, homeless, and even those who merely passed him on the streets steered clear of. And he wouldn't have it any other way. He would much rather live alone, on his own terms, than have any other contact with other people. He began going to the mission as earn a little bit of a living by cleaning, but he never spent the nights there. Ron and Debbie saw Denver when they began serving meals to the homeless and mission residents on Tuesday nights. As Mr. & Mrs. Tuesday, Ron and Debbie spent a few weeks serving, but then when Denver made his first, memorable entrance into their lives, Debbie was struck by a call from God again. She had had a dream about a man who would change the city, on a call from God. The man in her dream had Denver's face, and she gave Ron the mission of befriending him and finding that call she believed was out there for him.
I'm only about halfway through the book at this point, but the story has already really touched me. This was one of the books that I just happened to pick up at B&N without really knowing much about it at the time. Its a story of how one man's prejudice and preconceived notions about one population can be challenged once he finds himself in personal contact with a member of it. And that is true for both Ron and Denver. Each had ideas about the other based on race, economic standing, among other things, and each needed to work through those issues.
The most powerful quote that I've come across is just too good not to share and reprint for all to see.
"I guess we were pretty good at the whole Christian thing--or maybe we were bad at it--because we managed to alienate many of our old college friends. With our new spiritual eyes, we could see they didn't have fish stickers either and we set about saving them from eternal damnation with all the sublety of rookie linebackers. Looking back now I mourn the mutual wounds inflicted in verbal battles with the 'unsaved.' In fact, I have chosen to delete the particular term from my vocabulary as I have learned that even with my $500 European-designer bifocals, I cannot see into a person's heart to know his spiritual condition. All I can do is tell the jagged tale of my own spiritual journey and declare that my life has been the better for having followed Christ."
This really touched me because I believe in exactly this sentiment. I'm really looking forward to finishing this memoir and seeing how the relationship between Denver and Ron will progress.