Tulsa World: Feeding body and soul

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Feeding body and soul
The Filling the Void ministry provides sack lunches and prayer to the homeless.

Curtis LeMaster receives a lunch Friday from Greg Klaus, who is among the Filling the Void volunteers who meet to hand out sack lunches at a downtown parking lot at Third Street and Detroit Avenue. MIKE SIMONS / Tulsa World

By BILL SHERMAN World Religion Writer
Published: 1/25/2009 2:26 AM
Last Modified: 1/25/2009 2:29 AM

Kelly Swan used to look away when a homeless person tried to catch his eye for a handout on a downtown street.

Until he met Roy on Oct. 13, 2003.

Unkempt, unbathed and smelling like it, Roy approached him as he cut across a parking lot at Sixth Street and Main Mall.

Dreading the encounter, Swan tried to get past him, but Roy was persistent.

He grabbed his arm, looked into his eyes, and said, "Will you please help me?"

Roy did not know that Swan had just spent his lunch hour reading the Bible and praying in a garden area outside of First Christian Church at Ninth Street and Boulder Avenue.

"Everything I read was about reaching out to the needy, helping the poor," Swan said.

Unnerved by Roy's boldness, Swan shook himself loose and hurried away.

"But with each step I took, I felt more and more like a hypocrite," he said, the Bible verses fresh in his mind.

Swan turned around and caught up to Roy.

"Sir," he said to him.

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me. What can I do for you today?"

That led to a 20-minute conversation.

"He was very sincere. He said, 'I need something to help me every day. I need a relationship.' "

Swan prayed with him and provided him lunch.

Roy went on his way, and Swan went back to his Williams Cos. office on the 50th floor of the BOk tower.

"I never saw him again," Swan said. "But I left that encounter changed."

Later

that week, Swan told his friend Erin Bjornberg about his experience. Bjornberg had just had a similar encounter with a homeless man on a downtown street, but had rejected his plea for help.

The two decided to buy five sack lunches and scout downtown on their lunch hour for homeless people they could feed and talk to.

"We were as green and naive as we could be," Swan said.

They found four men who wanted the lunches. Three of them were eager to pray with them.

Other downtown workers heard what they were doing and offered to join them, or help pay for the lunches.

That was the beginning of a weekly lunch-time outing that during the past five years has served more than 22,500 sack lunches to needy people walking the streets of downtown Tulsa.

In early 2004, Swan incorporated the ministry as Filling the Void.

When it began to expand into other areas of social service, he felt it was important to rein it back to its original purpose: feed the poor and offer to pray with them.

"Our calling is to be on the street," he said.

"It's a two-fold ministry, feeding the body and feeding the soul.

"We emphasize ministry to the heart. That's where the change has to take place.

"We're trying to reinforce the value of their lives, to treat them with complete respect and dignity."

When his job took him to Denver on business trips, Swan duplicated the ministry there.

For years, Swan and his small army of volunteers fed the needy on the Williams Center plaza. Last fall they moved to a First Baptist Church parking lot at Third Street and Detroit Avenue.

On Friday, about 30 people sat in a chilly wind on a concrete wall at the parking lot, listened to a short Bible message and prayed. Volunteers gave them each a sack lunch of Arby's roast beef, an organic fruit bar, a can of Pringles chips, two chocolate chip cookies and a bottle of water.

"This is really nice. You can't beat this," said Calvin Titsworth, who has been coming to the weekly lunch for about a year and a half.

Swan said he thinks President Barack Obama has issued a call to service for Americans to do what he is doing — to open their eyes to see the needs of people around them, in offices, schools and on the street, and to do something about it.

The ministry works with other downtown social service agencies.

"We don't work in isolation," Swan said.

"We're all working together for the total rehabilitation of the individual.

"We're like the entrance ramp, trying to plant that seed of hope for a better life."

Most Tulsans would be surprised about what the homeless are like, he said.

"In general, the people we're serving are extremely humble and extremely gracious and thankful.

"They just want to be loved."

Filling the void

by the numbers

Bag lunches served in 2008: 8,400

Spent at Arby’s last year: $10,000

Total donations in 2008: $27,000

Bag lunches served in five years: 22,500

Total number of volunteers: 500

Bill Sherman 581-8398
bill.sherman@tulsaworld.com By BILL SHERMAN World Religion Writer

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	Report Comment rogerq, Pyeongtaek, South Korea (1/25/2009 4:35:02 AM) This is what it's about! Not building a shack inside a church as an allegory and buying $5,000 worth of one book for parishoners. Get out and help. That is Christian, that is Christ-like
	Report Comment Tony G, Tulsa (1/25/2009 5:33:34 AM) I am NOT a Christian, I've been handing out what little I had to street people for the longest time, and I don't force them to pray for food.
	Report Comment Ayo, T-Town (1/25/2009 7:04:10 AM) Tony, either way it's still a good thing to do, don't you think?
	Report Comment lil sparrow, Midwest Flyway (1/25/2009 7:15:15 AM) nice
	Report Comment What in the World!, Tulsa, OK (1/25/2009 8:23:43 AM) This seems like a great idea, hopefully it will encourage the homeless to take one step more and seek the help they deserve.
	Report Comment justiceawaits, Claremore (1/25/2009 9:25:31 AM) What a great story. This is why I always give to John 3:16 or the salvation army.I would rather give to the poor than pay for some preachers golden sinks or six foot statue of praying hands.
	Report Comment Mike W, Tulsa (1/25/2009 9:44:54 AM) It is indeed much better to "light a single candle" than to curse the darkness. Mike W Tulsa+ Who knows our nation does not have a food shortage as more is discarded than is needed by the hungry
	Report Comment K-Tulsa , Tulsa (1/25/2009 9:49:30 AM) What a wonderful way to "do for others." I wish the article would have mentioned how one can contact "Filing the Void" ministries to volunteer...I would like to.
	Report Comment Dr. Strangelove, Tulsa (1/25/2009 10:13:19 AM) Great story- I had no idea this was going on.
	Report Comment Mariska, (1/25/2009 12:09:01 PM) I am so impressed with the Filling the Void Ministry. What a wonderful thing all of you are doing! I will pray that God blesses each one of you volunteers. I'm so glad that these Christians are out there to be a shining light. The homeless need to be given hope as well as some nourishment.
	Report Comment HitAnyKey, Tulsa (1/25/2009 12:46:12 PM) Simple things we take for granted such as a sack lunch, a clean pair of socks, gloves, a hat, or a warm coat can truly make a difference in someone else's life. I feel that God blesses us when He enables us to do these small things for others.
	Report Comment Sid, (1/25/2009 12:49:28 PM) ALWAYS give the cardboard sing men and women money when you see them-you may entertain angels unaware...
	Report Comment R U 4 Real?, Tent City (1/25/2009 1:29:54 PM) Great story. Sid, Not all of the cardboard sign men and women are in need some are in disquise. 2 years ago by Krispy Kreme donuts another soldier and I were collecting money and toys for the toys for tots toy drive. One of the men who stands in the area with his cardboard sign came over to me an cussed me out for taking "HIS" money. That was on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Some angel this guy is.
	Report Comment Lance-a-lot, Tulsa (1/25/2009 2:03:46 PM) I think Tony G is just mad that the TW has not done an article on his awesome generosity. That, and he is steamed the Catholic church has not made him a saint. Get a grip Tony.
	Report Comment Sting Investigations, Tulsa (1/25/2009 2:36:09 PM) I like to spit on the bums.
	Report Comment What in the World!, Tulsa, OK (1/25/2009 2:45:31 PM) Ol Yeller its CHRISTIAN! I for one am tired of your insulting. Which devil do you serve?
	Report Comment godless, (1/25/2009 2:59:58 PM) If you pray with me, you will get food. If not, move along. There are christians to feed here. Sweet.
	Report Comment kyote, (1/25/2009 3:18:51 PM) I think it is great to hand out food with or without prayer it should be the receivers choice if they really need the food. The problem I have is a picture of a man receiving a bag of free food on the front page with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Food or smoke make your choice but smoke no food. Stop smoking and buy your own food.
	Report Comment R U 4 Real?, Tent City (1/25/2009 3:59:44 PM) only me, well said. If the person wants a prayer and the food that is great. If the person wants a prayer and no food that is great too. If the person wants the food and no prayer. There is nothing wrong with that.
	Report Comment laurel, (1/25/2009 4:14:30 PM) he could have pick the cigarette off of the ground. don't comdem, you don't know the true story of the poor homeless person. they dig through the garbage to get a smoke to keep warm.
	Report Comment Yogi, Tulsa (1/25/2009 4:29:51 PM) I think that it is a great story. I had no idea that it was going on.
	Report Comment Rocketman, Tulsa (1/25/2009 5:05:30 PM) You are welcome, Tonto.
	Report Comment 52favoriteteacher, Southwest Trojans Rock! (1/25/2009 7:19:59 PM) Kelly Swan Excellant! WWJD You have hit the nail on the head!
	Report Comment missy...m, my town (1/25/2009 7:24:33 PM) Hope the TW reads their own stuff.
	Report Comment missy...m, my town (1/25/2009 7:25:16 PM) Hope they take some of their own advice when handing out these stories.

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