"same kind of different As me"
By: Ron Hall & Denver Moore
By: Ron Hall & Denver Moore
*Summary*
Denver Moore’s life begins in rural Louisiana and he recounts the death of his family members and a childhood of grinding poverty. Raised by a family of share-croppers, Moore could never succeed because farming was basically a form of economic slavery. Ron Hall was born in Texas and led a relatively normal childhood. He attended Texas Christian University and served in the Army. He later married Deborah Short. He and Deborah had a good life, and raised two children. Deborah felt that God was calling her to serve the poor, and she persuaded Ron to become involved in the Union Gospel Mission in Fort Worth. This story is about poverty, racism, cruelty, homelessness, hope, faith and redemption. Ron and Deborah became regular volunteers at the Mission, trying to make a difference. Denver tried to avoid them, but “Miss Debbie” would not allow that. Ron and Denver tell the story in alternate chapters. Throughout the story, Denver’s faith in God was clear, and “Miss Debbie’s” as well. Their faith was challenged when “Miss Debbie” became ill with terminal cancer. Her death was long and painful but her strong faith and determination kept her alive until she was sure her work among the poor was fulfilled.
*Nonfiction*
1.) The authors did a very good job at presenting the information in an interesting way. Every other chapter, the authors would take turns telling the story how they saw it. It made it seem like they were really talking to you because they left out no details whatsoever. Both authors made sure to include every first thought, what they were wearing at the time and how the weather was to give you the full picture. It was like telling two different sides of the story. They gave their background and history, but in the end the stories matched up perfectly.
2.) This book has honestly changed the way I view homeless people and the way I view people who volunteer in the shelters. Before, I always just looked at a homeless person and thought that they could have avoided that situation if they didn't get on drugs or drink or have a criminal record. I always knew there was some kind of story behind the reason they were like that, but I figured that they still could have had it work out better in the end. After reading the story, I realized that the homeless guy only had a record because he needed to survive and the only reason he was struggling was because he ran away from the plantation he used to work on and that the live he suffered through was a good enough reason the leave and try to find hope some place else. I viewed helpers in the shelters as people who were too good to talk to us out in public, but when its dark they will come and "help" you out. I felt that they could have always done more and that the things they did do were only for special occasions and even then it was the crumbs off their table that they fed us. After reading this book, I realized that some people were actually like that and it took one person to come in and change all that and bond everybody together.
Denver Moore’s life begins in rural Louisiana and he recounts the death of his family members and a childhood of grinding poverty. Raised by a family of share-croppers, Moore could never succeed because farming was basically a form of economic slavery. Ron Hall was born in Texas and led a relatively normal childhood. He attended Texas Christian University and served in the Army. He later married Deborah Short. He and Deborah had a good life, and raised two children. Deborah felt that God was calling her to serve the poor, and she persuaded Ron to become involved in the Union Gospel Mission in Fort Worth. This story is about poverty, racism, cruelty, homelessness, hope, faith and redemption. Ron and Deborah became regular volunteers at the Mission, trying to make a difference. Denver tried to avoid them, but “Miss Debbie” would not allow that. Ron and Denver tell the story in alternate chapters. Throughout the story, Denver’s faith in God was clear, and “Miss Debbie’s” as well. Their faith was challenged when “Miss Debbie” became ill with terminal cancer. Her death was long and painful but her strong faith and determination kept her alive until she was sure her work among the poor was fulfilled.
*Nonfiction*
1.) The authors did a very good job at presenting the information in an interesting way. Every other chapter, the authors would take turns telling the story how they saw it. It made it seem like they were really talking to you because they left out no details whatsoever. Both authors made sure to include every first thought, what they were wearing at the time and how the weather was to give you the full picture. It was like telling two different sides of the story. They gave their background and history, but in the end the stories matched up perfectly.
2.) This book has honestly changed the way I view homeless people and the way I view people who volunteer in the shelters. Before, I always just looked at a homeless person and thought that they could have avoided that situation if they didn't get on drugs or drink or have a criminal record. I always knew there was some kind of story behind the reason they were like that, but I figured that they still could have had it work out better in the end. After reading the story, I realized that the homeless guy only had a record because he needed to survive and the only reason he was struggling was because he ran away from the plantation he used to work on and that the live he suffered through was a good enough reason the leave and try to find hope some place else. I viewed helpers in the shelters as people who were too good to talk to us out in public, but when its dark they will come and "help" you out. I felt that they could have always done more and that the things they did do were only for special occasions and even then it was the crumbs off their table that they fed us. After reading this book, I realized that some people were actually like that and it took one person to come in and change all that and bond everybody together.
