George's Story: Friend, Fighter, Loss
I had the chance to hug him and say ‘I love you’ and he cried inside that hug.
When we first bought our 42 House, George was one of the first people to visit, curious what we were doing there. I remember sharing with him in front of the dilapidated shell of a house that God loves to restore people. And just like how God was helping restore the house, He was calling us to help restore our neighbors too.
George and I met over 10 years ago on the streets of Chester, and later he would visit our meal program and shelter when I served on staff with CityTeam. I listened to his stories of wrestling through addiction, abuse and trauma, imprisonment, probation, homelessness and living a transgender lifestyle. All these struggles left him buried under hurt and pain, and I could feel that. I know what it’s like to be so far gone in addiction and poor choices that death feels like the only way out.
It's almost impossible to know how to rebuild your life when you hit bottom. George would share how he needed an inner renovation, how he needed to be with God.
It was during one of our first community outreach days that a moment came. We go door to door to pray, share Jesus and introduce our ministry with neighbors. At one of our stops just a block away, George answered the door. He understood why we were there and wept. The family struggles, the weight of personal choices… he was stuck. We stayed and prayed, and what followed was a big step in his life.
George came to our church one Sunday. He battled with shame and embarrassment at attending church with a dangerous lifestyle in the shadows. I could relate to what he was processing, but I believe he experienced it in a deeper way. Really, it’s easier to stay in a situation than to change. But deep down he wanted to be free.
George recently died of health complications.
With heavy hearts, we remember the last time we saw George. He stopped at our house to talk. I had the chance to hug him and say ‘I love you’ and he cried inside that hug. He said no one loved or cared about him except us and that he knew God was real.
We all know life is fragile. We never know when it’s the last time we will see someone, especially in our community. Jesus said, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” My paraphrase is: “Come all who are sick with sin and Jesus will set you free.”
George fought through a lifetime of major trauma, hurt and pain, and Greenhouse Project functioned like a kind of loving life support for him.
We make it a point to love those on the fringe, uplift the broken, and walk side-by-side in solidarity. Why? Because sharing the gospel by loving neighbors like Jesus changes lives. We don’t know if George ever asked Jesus to be his Lord and Savior, but we know George met Him in our time together. We trust that he got a little closer to restoration by the ways we loved and accepted him.
Join us in praying for George’s family–for Jesus to become real to them in their loss–as well as our other neighbors unable to share their pain and struggles. We keep an open heart and an open door for this very reason.
If you are struggling and need someone to talk to, please reach out anytime:
Call – 610.874.2753
Email – info@ghproject.org
To anyone still reading… thank you. It is because of your heart and generosity, in partnership with the work we do, that we are able to share the Love of God with our community each day!