What I Keep

My wife and I moved several times. The first big move is from Surabaya, Indonesia to Manila, Philippines. The second big move is from Surabaya, Indonesia to Waco, Texas. The third big move is from Waco, Texas to Anderson, Indiana. We spent eight years in Waco, Texas. We attended several churches (at least five churches) during our long period of stay, one of them is Church Under the Bridge (CUB), Waco, Texas. CUB is an ordinary church made holy by His presence — black, white, brown, rich and poor, educated in the streets and in the university, all worshipping the living God, who makes us one. CUB threw a farewell party for us when we moved from Waco to Anderson and gave us a coffee-table book entitled “What I Keep” by Susan Mullally. The book contains photographs of the homeless with a personal item that they keep. I knew most of people in the photographs because I met them in CUB worship service every Sunday. One of them, Lisa Clater, signed her photo in the book for us. I specifically remember Billy Alexander Overstreet because he used to hang out near our apartment complex. I asked Jerrod, one of the full-timers at Mission Waco, and he said he knew Billy. Billy was a drug-user and Jerrod ask me not give any money to him. One day, Billy stopped me from biking back home and asked for money. I said that money, I don’t have. If you need food, I have. “I need food”, Billy told me. We walked to my apartment and I gave him a slice of pork chop. He asked to…