James Gentry
As I made my final stroll through Woodruff Park I noticed James relaxing in the warm sunshine on a patch of green grass and sat down to talk with him and see if he would like to be a part of the Art as Ministry project. He was glad to participate and let me know that he and his girlfriend (Chasity) were trying to make their way to Alabama. Their possessions had been ransacked and they didn’t have a phone, but they did have other supplies and were doing alright. James shared that he had been working at Hartsfield Jackson airport as a contractor and lost his big toe in an accident. Disability denied his claim for help, he shared that a representative said, “Looks like you can stand and walk just fine.” This resonated with me as my wife is disabled with post-stroke chronic central neuropathic pain, which is “invisible” to the outside world and she has faced her fair share of judgment from the “normal” world.
As James and I talked, Chasity joined us and shared her story. James was said to be a gentleman and he saw she needed some shelter and a jacket, which James quickly and selflessly provided. He said, “We are taking care of each other” as if it was a very commonplace act in this broken world.
I got my reference photos and was getting ready to head out when James and Chasity asked if I needed anything and offered a bottle of water or snacks. Kindness from strangers is a beautiful thing and it was a great reminder that we are all in this together.
Ministry: 50% of the sales from James’ portraits will be given to The Place of Forsyth County in the form of requested items for the food pantry.
