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Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Bill From The Corner

Look among the nations! Observe!
Be astonished! Wonder!
Because I am doing something in your days–
You would not believe if you were told.

Habakkuk 1:5 (NASB)


Three weeks ago, I met a guy named Bill Wilson. He told me about his life, and I asked permission to share his story; he agreed. Bill Wilson is the pastor of the biggest Sunday School in the whole world — 25,000 children aged 12 and below in Brooklyn, New York City.

I said, “Bill, what gave you a heart to care for children?” He said, “When I was 12 years old, my mother told me, ‘I cannot take this anymore. Stay in this corner.’ My mother left me in Florida on a street corner and she told me, ‘Just stay here. I’m leaving. Don’t move.’” For the next three days, he was all alone on that street corner. Imagine, a 12-year-old boy left alone in St. Petersburg, Florida on a street corner, for three days.

He said, “Somebody came along, a Christian, who was on his way to save the life of his wife because his wife had leukemia. But he took time to talk to me. I told him what happened and he gave me money. He told me to go to this church camp. He sent me there and when I went to the camp, I learned about Jesus. I learned about God and how much He loves me.

“So when the invitation came to those who want to receive Jesus, to those who want to put their faith in Jesus, I went forward. Many young people went forward. But I discovered another thing. Nobody wanted to talk to me. Every other boy had a counselor except me, and I began to realize why. I was still wearing the same clothes. I was smelly. Nobody wanted to be with me. I prayed and said, ‘Lord, even if nobody will love me, Lord, you love me.’ I gave my life to Jesus.

“After the retreat, the pastor invited me to live in the church. The church had a closet, and that was my room for the next three years. I slept in the closet of the church. And everyday, a lady, a member of the church would bring food. I ate one meal a day for the next three years until I finished high school.

When I finished high school, I began to work. Then somebody told me, ‘Bill, you go to Bible school. God will use you.’ Whatever people told me, that was what I did. I had no money. By faith, I went to finish Bible school. And then the church told me to help in the Sunday school. So I began to help Sunday school and it began to grow. It kept growing and growing.”

Now, he’s the pastor of the largest youth church in America: 25,000 children in Brooklyn, New York. And he said, “Every year, every December 24, I go to Florida and I stay on that street corner the whole day, the whole night.” I asked him why. He said, “I want to remember where I came from. And that’s why I love children. Because somebody cared for me.”

I told you this story because if God were to tell Bill 40 years ago what He was going to do, Bill would not believe it. In fact, Bill would not allow God to do that in his life. If God had told Bill, “Bill, do you know what’s going to happen? Your mother is going to leave you, your father is going to leave you, you will be left all alone,” do you think Bill would have said, “Ok, Lord. Ok?” No, no.

You see, God does not always tell you what he’s going to do because many times you cannot take it and you cannot understand it. But you and I need to continue trusting Him. (PTC)

God is too wise to be mistaken;
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don’t understand,
When you don’t see His plan,
When you can’t trace His hand,
Trust His heart.

Babbie Mason


Credits: http://www.ccf.org.ph/2009/03/bill-from-the-corner/

1 comment:

jOyEnZ said...

alam mo kababasa lang ng blog mo narerevive ako.. salamat sa DYOS at napadaan ako sa blog mo nuon at nag exchange tayo ng link and we became blog-friends... thank you at ginagamit ka ni GOD to remind me about his love for me... ang ganda... thank you... nakakabless!