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I have heard it said that, "Poverty will come upon you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man."* Well, it happened to me. I had a major stroke in December 1986. It left me impoverished by $42,000 in medical bills. I lost the use of my left arm and now have permanent brain damage, which continues to negatively impact my life and body in many ways on a daily basis. Epilepsy is now only one of my life's many challenges. I became homeless. I was forced to sell my blood for money, eat from food lines to survive, sleep at the Salvation Army, and seek medical care from the "poor people's" hospital:
It was a painful blessing. I met many wonderful, caring people I never would have met otherwise. That's how I met my wife. We met in the singles' Sunday school class at Briarwood Presbyterian Church. We celebrated our 12th-year wedding anniversary March 11, 2007. I see people every day on the street in the same situation I was in - homeless and trying to survive as best as they can. I read that, "The Lord sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and
He exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap" (I Samuel 2:7-8, NIV). I know that for all that I
went through, it was worth it to meet all the friends I have made along the way. Gary Hyink is now married. He also shares his home with two fluffy cats. Often the poor and needy aren't a priority in our society. The shame of it is that the homeless and poor are people just like you and me. In today's fast-paced world, it could happen to you tomorrow. Please think about this when you see someone in need. He or she probably didn't choose to be that way.
Here is a poem I wrote in 1980 when I was in the United States Air Force and stationed in the Philippines. A friend, Sharon, wrote me and touched my heart when she shared some personal struggles she was going through.
Often, people I share this poem with tell me it is good, but depressing. I think they miss the point, so let me share it with you. One of the desires of our heart is to love and be loved. Naturally we look to other people to fulfill this desire. They often fail to meet our needs, and this has led to countless personal tragedies. I believe that only God can perfectly fulfill this desire He has placed in us. I found from personal experience that He is always available to us in prayer. He'll listen and answer them. He answered mine in mighty ways and continues to do so. For that I thank Him. Life is hard. Hang in there, if you're struggling. Ask the Lord for help. Have faith, because if He is willing to bless me, I'm sure that He is willing to bless you as well. Personal story and poetry by Gary R. Hyink *Quote at top: Proverbs 6:11, NIV Lost and Found, a short film by Mike Lombardi - A very good, very well acted, independent drama on homelessness that also includes one of Gary's poems
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Gary
Hyink is generally happy now,
but life wasn't always easy for him...
