Update #1 - Jan 10th, 2002
Sopchoppy, FL - 195 miles

I'm sorry that it has been a little over a month since my last update. I haven't been able to get enough internet time to actually work on the website. There were not too many places along the way the past month in Florida where I could get on the internet.

Instead of writing a basic update on what has occured, I would like to write about my feelings instead. The past month here in Florida has been sort of hard because of the reactions that I've been receiving. I've been pretty frustrated because almost daily I have had to defend my ministry and convince people that I'm not a homeless person and needs to be directed to a shelter. Yes, I do not have a home here on Earth that I can call my own. I tell everybody that my home is in Heaven and I'm just a traveler on this planet.

This homeless response has come from almost every person that I've come into contact with. Florida does have a major problem with the homeless and transients. A lot of people come to Florida to get away from the cold up North or try to find employment.

What bothers me the most is that the most negative responses to my simple request for a place to stay the night like a spot on the floor of either a Sunday school classroom or a fellowship hall(especially during very cold nights) have come from fellow ministers. I make it known that is all that I need and am not asking for a monetary handout. Most often, the ministers who balk at helping me are from big churches and no denomination is excluded. There have been a few ministers who have helped me by letting me stay at their church or even provide me with a motel room for the night. Nine out of ten ministers have been what I call "Pass-Off Christians" and do not show any evidence of their faith has expressed in the second chapter of James that I use as the basis of my ministry.

The excuse most often for not helping me is that there would be a liabilty issue with me staying at the church. The church's insurance would not allow it. Who is really in charge of the church? Should it be Y'shua the Messiah? He would never turn anybody away. Lack of time is the second most often used excuse. I hope and pray that ministers will see that Y'shua the Messiah is actually the head of the local church bodies and not the pastors.

Law enforcement officers (both local police or sheriff) have given me the same negative response but there have been exceptions to the norm. I've come across some really great law enforcement officers in the Chiefland, Mt. Dora, and Perry areas. I had one sergeant give me a police escort to his church where I stayed for two nights.

Well, I guess this is all of my gripes at this time. I'll try and post a more positive update next time.