Christianity Today's new series "The Work of Our Hands" continues with a piece by Denver Institute board member Chris Horst.
Chris tells the story of fellow Denverite Dave Collins. Once homeless, Dave is now an enthusiastic employee at a downtown hotel. “I wake up pumped that I get to go to work. It’s a perfect fit for me,” he says.
Here’s a preview of “Showing Hospitality to Strangers and Spring Breakers.” Read the rest at ChristianityToday.com >>
You might assume that Dave Collins spends his days in a high-powered, prestigious profession, but the Colorado native’s job is simply to keep a hotel lobby clean and answer room calls. Collins, 57, is a housekeeper at the Denver Marriott, a 600-room business hotel next to the Colorado Convention Center.
His joy in serving Marriott guests starts with his own journey. Two years ago, Collins reached a low in his battle with alcohol abuse. He lost his job, then his home, before checking into the Denver Rescue Mission, a large faith-based nonprofit.
“I shouldn’t even be alive for all I did,” Collins recently told me. “God had a plan for me, though. As Jerry Garcia said, ‘What a long, strange trip it’s been.’ Everything I’ve gone through has been to make me who I am and put me here to serve others.”
As someone who has known life without a place to live, he understands others wanting a place to call home, even if for one night.
