Take17: The Story of Henry Covington

So I've actually bothered to make some trips to Borders recently- and of course, got a couple of books. One great read would be 'Have a Little Faith' by the well-known author Mitch Albom (it's non-fiction).

It's basically about his short journey with his rabbi, Albert Lewis. Its a book involving Albom getting to know the rabbi better as he was actually approached by Lewis to do his eugoly. Through his journey, he meets Pastor Henry Covington. He is the pastor of I Am My Brother's Keeper ministry and he, like any other pastor, preaches the Word of God. But where he holds his sermons? A run-down church building, which dated back to 1881. The walls were decaying, the roof barely able to hold it self up. But one thing that amazed me was the generousity of this man. He, who decided to keep the building going by paying the maintainence, offered the homeless a place to stay in that very same church. He would also, regardless of their religion, offer these 'refugees' prayers. Yes, your everyday kind soul. But what occured before his current situation was really what took the cake.

Covington was born in an extremely poor family. With eight siblings around it had made things worse. As he grew older, the influence of the Detroit lifestyle had taken its toll on him: he was smoking and drinking by the age of nine. He robbed an old couple once, too. And then he got really rich, really quick: drug dealing. He was sentenced to seven years of jail too, for a crime he did not commit. He was spiralling down a road he obviously did not want to go down. But in the end fear drove him away from all these horrible vices. Fear, that rival thug gangs would hurt his family. Fear, that there would be no tommorow for him. And, ultimately, fear of God.

Check the book out. Pretty great read.