There seems to be many misconceptions about homeless people.

We tend to think that somehow they are a lesser class of people or that maybe they deserve it. Maybe they were somehow destined to be homeless, although I have never heard of anyone in a hurry to grow up so that they could be homeless.

I would like to introduce you to someone very special who was homeless. His name is Henry Bowden. We first met him in the food line at our local homeless shelter. He was 61 at the time and had been a resident there for about a year and a half. He’d been homeless for five years before that living out of his car.

As he hobbled through the food line with the help of an old crutch, we realized that he was going to need extra help. As we got to know Henry, we began to find out what some of his needs were. We helped him get clothes, food, medicine and transportation for doctor visits.

At the same time, we would pick Henry up on Sundays to bring him to church with us. He always looked forward to being with those who had become his church family. Before service, he especially enjoyed the baked treats and a cup of coffee. One day, I asked Henry, “What are your goals for getting out of this homeless shelter?” Like so many people who are stuck in their circumstances, he said he had none. So, for the first time, Seeds of Faith began to help transition someone from homelessness to independence by arranging for his medical needs and moving him into an apartment in Portsmouth.

It was furnished with a brand new bed and his favorite leather chair, and it had cabinets stocked with food and much more! Henry didn’t quite know what to say but, “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!”

It was Henry’s needs that drew us to him, but very quickly it turned into a love between forever friends! Henry passed away DATE HERE, and as I listened to the many recollections of him at his memorial service, one in particular stood out. His fondness for dandelions was one of the memories that his family had of him. When he was a little boy, he would often carry one around.

Because Henry was homeless for a time, people didn’t see the great value he possessed. Like so many homeless people labeled with the scarlet letter of rejection, people could not see his tender heart, sense of humor, child-like faith, or his desire to help! Funny thing; people don’t realize the value in dandelions either.

Some interesting facts about dandelions: (BULLETS LIKE ON PREV PAGES)

• Open during the day and close at night.
• Can play an important role in the human body as an antioxidant. They fight free radicals that cause cancer.
• Their flowering is used as an indicator that the honeybee season is starting. For bees and early emerging butterflies, they are also an important source of nectar and pollen early in the season.
• They can produce an average of 200 seeds per head and as many as 460.
• Last but not least, the dandelion seeds have built in parachutes that carry them to their destination when ready.

Henry always gave from his heart. He didn’t have much, but he did what he could. From a little boy with dandelions in his hand until his last days, he had a smile that pierced our hearts and jokes that sometimes weren’t that funny but still made us laugh. He challenged us with many questions that he now has the answers to!

But just like the dandelion that reproduces and leaves behind its seed, our Henry also leaves behind something far, far greater! A legacy.

His legacy includes the development of the Henry Bowden Trust Fund for the Homeless Its purpose is to help others just like Henry— people who are valued and priceless, as every life is, but just need a hand to help them get out of the circumstances they find themselves stuck in.

If you would like to contribute to the Henry Bowden Trust Fund, (INFO???, It just ends)