Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

"I met Sister Bettie before I met Miss Debbie. She ain't no nun or nothin like that. We call her 'Sister' 'cause she's a real spiritual woman. I don't know how old Sister Bettie was when I met her, but right this minute she got a crown a' hair just as white as a cloud on a summer day, and twinklin eyes as blue as the sky them clouds go sailin in. When she's talkin to you, she'll lay a hand on your arm like she's knowed you all your life, like maybe you was her own child. And even if she keeps her hand there awhile, it don't bother you none. You just feel happy God saw fit to drop a lady like that into this world."
                                            -Denver Moore

This book was recommended to me by a friend and I am so glad I read it. It is a marvelous story of redemption, grace and brotherly love. Ron Hall is a wealthy art dealer and Denver Moore, a poor homeless black man. They go back and forth in telling the story of how they connected. It probably never would have happened without the amazing influence of Deborah Hall, Ron's wife. I am so in awe of what she accomplished! Though a nonfiction book, this one was at times entertaining and often poignant---it made me laugh out loud and brought me to tears! My rating for this book is a 5 and I hope it will continue to inspire me.

Oddly, Same Kind of Different as Me reminded me of a Shel Silverstein poem titled "When You Turn Off the Light." It goes like this:
Small as a peanut,
Big as a giant,
We're all the same size
When we turn off the light.
Rich as a sultan,
Poor as a mite,
We're all worth the same
When we turn off the light.

Red, black or orange
Yellow or white,
We all look the same
When we turn off the light.

So maybe the way
To make everything right
Is for God to just reach out
And turn off the light!

In my interpretation, the poem says everyone is the "same kind of different!"

I loved Denver Moore's theology. For example, at the very end of the book, he says, "The truth about it is, whether we is rich or poor or somethin in between, this earth ain't no final restin place. So in a way, we is all homeless---just workin our way toward home." There are numerous times that Denver speaks his own truth and you just want to say "Wow!"

This book includes questions for discussion in the back, as well as an interview with the authors that was quite interesting.  A friend told me she saw Ron and Denver on a talk show. I intend to see if I can find it on Youtube.