Thank you for tremendous love & support for Rick

This was such an emotional weekend.

I will never forget receiving that phone call from Rick, the homeless man who was attacked and then hit by a train this weekend. Walking into that hospital room and seeing Rick just broke my heart. Cuts, gashes, bruises and blood all over his head, and a brace to stabilize his neck was a very unsettling sight.

Rick looked at me with tears in his eyes and said the words he often says, "I'm sorry." He said he was sorry for bothering me. He was sorry he got hurt. That broke my heart too. It wasn't his fault someone decided to jump him and leave him on the train tracks. And he knows I don't mind stopping what I'm doing to help a person in need. But that's how people with low self esteem react. They feel like it's always their fault.

I was glad he remembered my phone number, and very humbled that he would call me. He says I'm his pastor. Now that's humbling. I'm glad he remembered his sister's phone number so I could call her and inform her about his condition. I'm thankful she drove more than three hours with another one of their sisters and his nephew to be with him and talk with the doctors.

What really blew Martha, my mom and me away was the response from our Love In Action family. So many of our volunteers visited Rick this weekend. It's rare for a non-homeless person to receive that many visitors. It was amazing, and it showed Rick and his family that there are a lot of people who love and care for him. We can't say "thank you" enough to our Love In Action family.

I told Rick on Saturday that I would start the prayer chain and that people all around the country would be praying for him. He smiled and said "thank you." And, all of our Love In Action family around the nation are praying. From my friend Micah in Hawaii to our friends in Louisiana and points throughout the nation, people are praying.

A number of people on Facebook reposted my first blog about Rick and encouraged people to pray. At church this morning one person after another asked Martha and me about Rick. Love In Action co-founder Mike Shroades and his wife, Laurie, went with us this afternoon to visit Rick.

Martha and I just can't express our gratitude enough to everyone. For any of us to feel that kind of love is incredible. Just imagine how much more it feels to a homeless person to receive that kind of love and support. It brings tears to my eyes every time I think about the great outpouring of God's love for Rick and his family.

Rick has a long ways to go, but he knows God is with him. He told a visitor today that he was going to walk out of the hospital because "Ken prayed for me." Now that's faith. Rick loves God and he is such a precious man. Like I told him today, God has a great plan for him, because not too many people get hit by a train and live to talk about it.

Thank you again for your prayers and for showing your love to Rick and his family. Please continue, and I know you will. The Love In Action family is made up of the greatest people in the world. Thank you again, and may God continue to bless each of you and your families.