Here is a report on my Sat. Jan. 14 evening walk at 12 Hills.
About twenty minutes of 6 I saw a white pick up, a dark red car and 4 people in the middle of the parking lot as I came in.  A large man, maybe mid-twenties in a black T shirt was talking earnestly with a young teenage boy, a young woman and a young man with long dark hair.

The large man was writing in a notebook and the young man was offering him cash money.  They paid little attention as i walked by them; didn't try to hide anything or move away; so I went on in and walked the trail.  as i came out the others were gone but the young man was coming across the grass by the front sidewalk saying ouch and pulling stickers out of his socks for he had no shoes on.  I asked if he had been in the parking lot earlier,  'Yes.' , and who was the big man in the black T shirt? and is that who has your shoes or boots? 

Eyes swimmy, sentences disjointed he said that the guy's name was Joe and he is a homeless guy.  Not in the least aggressive or offensive, but remorseful, he began to pour out his heart that he was hurting, didn't want to hurt others, kill people, but he had to defend himself and he just wanted to be peaceful and not live with alcohol and drugs and people always want to take advantage of him.......So we had an earnest conversation about if the spirit's not right, nothing is right; he didn't have to live that way and that God loved him. 

He did me the honor of actually listening to my little sermon and kept apologizing for taking my time, his speech getting more and more coherent.  When he quavered that he didn't know what to do, I said I did; that we would walk up the street and find the priest who needed to hear his story.  We walked and talked and as we turned into St. Cecilia's driveway we saw everyone coming out of the lovely lighted sanctuary after mass (coincidence?).  We walked right in the open doors and found the priest who accepted the young man as someone ready to change his life; a young man who found maybe more than me at 12 Hills.
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Who knows how to contact the Police Patrol and tell them that Joe the homeless guy has probably been using 12 Hills parking lot to sell drugs.?  And I'd appreciate some of you walking the back part of the Nature Center to see the nicely growing young tree that's been knocked down and the rocks and dirt dumped over on the property by the contractor.  I'll try to get pictures tomorrow.
God bless us every one,    ms.paula