Photo by Jurien Huggins on Unsplash
Back at the corner of 31st and Troost, the hustle of rush hour filled the streets.
A man named Anthony got off the bus and immediately approached me.
“Do you know if this bus stop goes to 75th and Troost?” he asked, beaming.
“Yes, if you wait here, the bus that has service to 75th Street will show up,” I replied.
“Can I interview you?” I asked.
“Absolutely!” he replied.
I first asked him about Thelma’s Kitchen. He said he wasn’t familiar with it, having moved to Kansas City six months earlier from a small Missouri town he called Farmsville.
As we talked, the conversation shifted to his life, his struggles and how he found God and grace.
“Me personally, I hope to help the lost find a path of grace. There are a lot of individuals who are lost. I’ve been lost myself. I’ve been through a lot of struggle in my life due to choices I made,” he said.
Anthony told me he had started working at Journey To A New Life, a nonprofit that helps people reenter society after incarceration. He described services that help people obtain essentials such as belts, clothes, IDs, bus passes and shoes as they start over.
For Anthony, the work was personal. He described facing hardships of his own and wanting to support others as they moved forward.
“You’ve got to be there to support somebody as they’re going forward — not ultimately making choices for them.”
His faith helped guide that approach.
“I believe in Jesus Christ. For me, whenever I get into the Word of God, I allow his words to guide me. I believe that God has a plan and a purpose for everybody’s life,” he said.
I stood at that corner, immersed in the activity around us. Anthony had approached me looking for help finding his way to 75th and Troost. Our conversation revealed how much he hoped to help others find their way, too.