In February, Bobby called me to say he had to cancel an interview for a subsidized apartment because he was sick with the flu or something and was thinking about going to the hospital.  He went and, within one week, learned he had stomach cancer.  His surgery took 1/3 of his stomach.  He has had some radiation therapy and is now in his 6th month of chemotherapy.  He says the cancer is in his liver a little.  He still feels sick occasionally and the doctor says he will have stomach pain all his life because of how they had to put his stomach back together.  He says he can do all activities as long as he takes his time and rests sometimes.  He has regained 50 of the 70 pounds he lost after surgery.  I find his spirit even more positive and less anxious than it was even before the diagnosis.  I think this is why:

     “Yes, I felt God’s presence. ... It relieved a lot of the pain of being homeless.  I was around a lot of good people.  A lot of faith is very important when being homeless.  Believing in God and believing in people that are helping you.”

      Bobby now receives the disability benefits that he worked so hard for, and, even though he was staying with a generous friend these last 6 months, on October 8, he will be moving into his very own studio apartment at Lakefront Supportive Housing!  He offers this advice to people who feel hopeless:

     “Have faith.  It’s important.  Believe in God.  Believe in the people closest to you that are going to help. Just pray all the time.  It really, really helps. It really do.  He answers.  He always do. If you really need help, fine, take it.  If you don’t really need something, let someone else who needs it have it.  It’s always better to help others.”

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