We met Carly Nolan on the sidewalk in front of the New Orleans Mission. I was watching him feed the pigeons when I stopped to offer him some food and dry socks.
It was his smile that made me introduce myself and suddenly I was sitting next to him, holding a small card that he had pulled out of his wallet. The card told me that Nolan is an ordained minister…
“Why are you on the street Carly?” I asked him, hoping that I wasn’t being too abrupt.. “Because God wants me here,” he said.
The next two hours were a swirling testimony of the most triumphant kind. One of my favorite moments was when he asked me, “have you ever read Isaiah 58?” I looked at Shane. “Did he really just ask us that?” We both laughed and nodded.
At some point as I was filming this story of glory, Shane stood up to give away the rest of our food and hygiene kits. This is just a few seconds of Carly’s wisdom…
As I filmed Carly’s lengthy testimony, I noticed a man with a fantastic smile engage in an empassioned conversation with my husband. I watched the discussion taking place in the background of the scene, and I could tell that a moment of freindship had passed between the two of them.
It wasn’t until the evening was dark and we sat staring at the photos on my computer screen that I asked Shane about Aaron. His voice was quiet as he explained. “That guy looks so young, but he’s 35. His wife, twin girls and twin boys were all killed in Hurricane Katrina, five years ago…” his voice trailed off.
I looked at my picture and tried to imagine what I would do if that happened to me, or what i would do to myself. I would want to die… Aaron lost his whole family in 1 horrible day.
But somehow, he can still smile. I don’t get it.
“You can either struggle with Jesus or without him..” Carly told us. Aaron said he “found Jesus” or maybe Jesus found him. Either way, if Aaron can still smile, I have no excuse not to… That’s God.
Spread the LOVE Louisiana
Makes you realize that maybe the times you feel are to tough to handle and then you read this story and realize its not so bad.Im so glad Arron and Jesus got together
Just wow. I don’t know what I would do in Aaron’s position. That is really really heart breaking and I have a great deal of respect for him.
as usual…thank you for sharing these stories, you and shane are great people and i’m glad you do what you do.
I love following your journey’s on Facebook and this one about Carly really caught my eye and my heart. Thank you for sharing these wonderful stories. And God Bless you…
Much love to u both from Savannah! : )
You know NOLA is a city of its own spice and flavoring of people….but if you look under the crimes and bad boy looks,its just a city struggling to survive. Thats it. Good vs Bad doesn’t exist on the streets….its the weak against the strong who survive. Its a live and die situation down there…….its just a whole other world that need help and hope…..I miss you NOLA……
Great post, Shay. Two stories, one theme. Carly spoke the truth.
Aaron’s story got me teary-eyed. Only God can help him the way he did.