My neighbor moved out yesterday.

In my neighborhood, neighbors come and go, so this move was no different than the others, except it was. It was different because my neighbor had become a friend … thanks to her dog. That is because she needed someone to watch her dog, Prince, while she went to work. As I got to know Prince, I also got to know Josey.

Josey attends Victory Outreach church. I was not familiar with Victory Outreach. Victory Outreach was started years ago by a couple in Los Angeles as an outreach to street people: homeless, drug addicts, drunkards, the poor, the outcast. They do the kind of ministry that I can only admire from afar.

The day Josey moved my doorbell rang. Standing on my doorstep was some pretty rough looking men. They wanted to paint my home’s address number on the curb. They said they were from a half-way home operated by … Victory Outreach! I put them to work. I wanted to bless them and my neighbors, so I paid them to paint the numerals of the each home’s address on my block. They were so excited!

As they were getting ready to leave (while other men from Victory Outreach were moving out Josey—it was quite the busy day!), one of the men who painted the curbs asked what I did for a living. I told him that I played the piano at my church and that I taught piano. He asked me if I knew any of those “old hymns.” Yes, I said that I knew and played many old hymns. He replied that he only knew one hymn … “Amazing Grace.”

That “old hymn” pretty much sums up his life, the ministry of Victory Outreach, my friendship with Josey, and that crazy, beautiful day.

Click here if you would like a free download of the beginner piano arrangement of “Amazing Grace.”