Our Common Friend Richard Smith Poem by Joe Sadeghloo

He lived in an old trailer till it started depreciating and falling apart. The elements, rain, snow, and the wind had found their ways inside the cabin through the holes on the roof and the cracks on the walls!

Suddenly, he was out there in the streets, homeless, with his old bike by his side and his strong beliefs in finding freedom, healing and hope in Jesus Christ thru the 7th Day Adventist Church!

Soon, he found a room in a rooming house not far from the Trailer Park and close enough to the Downtown Church where he could eat a warm meal twice a week. He expressed his gratitude and offered prayers in thanksgiving for the food he ate.

Once, he talked about giving his last ten-dollar bill to the Church and later, the very same day, finding a ten-dollar bill on the sidewalk! He considered it a miracle! Lord was keeping an eye on him.

He spent his life, rain or shine, riding the old bike to the next town's grocery store, where he worked as a stocker, stocking the shelves, picking up the carts and packing groceries for the customers!

Next time, when you are in town grocery shopping, and you notice a short skinny old man with a thin face with light stubbles and greyed out goatee packing up your groceries, He is our Common Friend Richard Smith!

No one knows, or maybe, no one cares that Richard is a POET!
Years back, one of his poems won the first prize in the country!

Richard chose to live his life all by himself! Lives like a hermit!
Or a Monk living in his own one room Monastery, in search of freedom, healing and hope in Lord Jesus Christ and His imminent second coming!

Recently, Richard turned 75!