_by William A. Myers

Exactly one year ago last Sunday The Myers Family began their Skid Row journey with a gentle nudge from the Lord and a hearty "shove" from our 12 year old daughter Jessica and when Vicky and I went down there that first time with Jessica and Pia I can honestly say that I don't think we ever DREAMED we go more than 1 or 2 more times at the most. God had a different game plan.

On that first day, as I was serving food, a man wearing a NY Giants #56 jersey (Lawrence Taylor for those that don't follow the NFL) came through the line and as I was serving him I made a comment about Lawrence Taylor and the trouble he was in at that time for Statutory rape of a 15 year old back in New Jersey. That man in line wearing the #56 jersey was Lasalle Turner and he promptly, but politely, scolded me for judging a man I didn't even know and reminded me that we ALL are sinners are to be judged by God and God alone!

_Wow was I ever humbled.....As the Lord continued working in the Myers lives down serving on Skid Row we eventually developed a fast growing friendship with Lasalle and he in return was one of our many sets of eyes on 6th and Gladys that kept a close watch on Jessica's location as we served on Sunday's and even would call himself "Uncle Lasalle" whenever he spoke to Jess. On one occasion a fight broke among two of the homeless men on Gladys and Lasalle made sure that the kids and women that were down there with CA were safe and herded them into the Hippie Kitchen to be "safer"!

At one point 6 or 7 months ago Lasalle confided in Vicky,who is blessed with the gift of "listening to people" and will invest whatever time is needed to talk with them and truly HEAR them, that he was VERY cynical towards our Group from Christian Assembly. He thought that we were just down there serving to;"......feel good about ourselves and not really caring about what goes on down on skid row", but after seeing the loving hearts and spirits of the younger children down there such as Jessica (and Alex And Meghan et al) and watching CA come back EVERY Sunday, rain or shine he was convinced that the Lord was TRULY working in our hearts and minds......"Shine on CA"

As the summer progressed Lasalles life began to unravel as well as his health as well. He suffered from diabetes and because he had no Medical insurance nor income he would wait  as long as he possibly could then call 911 and spend a week or so having  fluid drained and his battery recharged at LA county/USC then it was back to the streets in his truck where he would live. Then, several weeks ago after several days of a long cold rain I heard a voice calling my name out on Gladys and when I went over to see it was Lasalle,cold shivering and incoherent laying on the streets under several soaking wet blankets. At first he refused any treatment when John and the guys wanted to call 911 but eventually relented and spent a week or so at County/USC and then was back on the streets shortly after,only this time with no truck or possessions of his own and in the middle of winter.

The harsh reminder is that this is skid row & these friends that we share our love with and most importantly, GOD'S LOVE, could be gone tomorrow and to me that is a very sobering fact of life on skid row.....Lasalle was a saved man so he is no longer suffering but he had his demons he battled here on earth and through the love of a bunch of people from a church in Eagle Rock as well as the childlike love from a young girl wanting do Gods will for those less fortunate living on the streets of LA he experienced the love of Christ .

God Bless you ALL.......rest in perfect peace now Lasalle Eugene Turner!