| Saving Stations: For bodies and souls, its Saving Time under the tent By John W. Coleman Jr.UM Connection Staff First came the rain, at around 7 a.m. on Sept. 1, while about two-dozen men and boys erected the large, white Savin g Station tent for St. Paul UMC. The site was a small, grassy park a block from the 135-year-old church, just west of downtown Baltimore. Tattered brick row houses, many with their doors and windows covered in cinderblocks, posed an abject reminder of this communitys poverty, even amid the promising new, government-subsidized homes. St. Pauls Saving Station was the last of 20 held in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., this summer. For three days, Sept. 1-3, a stream of people came to the tent to enjoy praise and worship with soul-stirring preaching, personal testimonies and spirited gospel singing. When new believers came forward, answering the invitation to accept Jesus Christ as Savior, the congregation erupted in joyous, welcoming praise. Food, fellowship, music and activities kept visitors coming between services. While there, they received information from community health educators on the alarming causes and effects of cancer, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS and other prevailing ills. Whens the last time you had your prostate checked, St. Paul lay leader Sustin Bennett called out to one passerby. He handed the man a flyer advertising free cancer screening at an area hospital. When another man waved him off, Bennett chided him. You can say goodbye to me, but you may be saying hello to cancer if you dont get yourself checked. Dozens of eager children came, too, some with parents and guardians in tow, especially when St. Pauls volunteers handed out packages of pens, pencils, paper, and other back-to-school supplies. The most celebrated arrivals, however, were the five people who came to the altar to accept Christ into their lives and who came to Saving Station coordinator Steven Barksdale seeking deliverance from substance abuse and addiction. At least one promptly entered a treatment program. Barksdale and others provided daily information on, and demonstrations of, the weekly Bible study and support group hosted at St. Pauls for people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Two-thirds of the groups 30 members are women. Listeners were invited to come forward if they, too, wanted assistance. Were prepared to do whatever it takes to help anybody, he said. Most addicts want to get away from here, where theyve been living the drug life; so we try to take them to centers in (Washington) D.C. or Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. Well get them a bus ticket and send them if we have to, but we prefer to take them if we can. Weve been trying to get outside our church walls for a long time, he mused while watching a group of visitors approach. Tears were streaming down my face when I read the Scripture during Sunday mornings service. And they were tears of joy. I could have stayed home today and watched TV, he added, smiling. But this is Saving Time. And like the song says, Only what you do for Christ will last. | 
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