On the cracked, hot pavement of the Diamond Inn motel on Ramona Boulevard, Manny Rios huddled next to an elderly man and whispered prayers into the dense Jacksonville air.
\nSweat already formed on his arm as Rios rested it on the man\u2019s shoulders. There, between his elbow and his wrist, a cursive tattoo \u2014 \u201cSaved\u201d \u2014 shone fresh and dark in the afternoon sun.
\nNot too long ago, the cartography of Rios\u2019 skin resembled another life entirely: one of an addict, a drug dealer and a gang member.
\nThose marks remain, permanent but fading.
\nWith the bold white cross of a nearby megachurch piercing the skyline, Rios finished his prayer and stepped away from his newfound friend. A line of people now formed beside him, all waiting for a free barbecue dinner courtesy of Dope Church, a ministry of The Well Church of Jacksonville.
\nApproximately 75 people left their hotel rooms to join the gathering.
\n\u201cThis is just hamburgers and hot dogs. We are trying to introduce them to the real food: Jesus Christ,\u201d Rios said. \u201cThey don\u2019t need someone who is just going to preach at them. They need someone who is going to get down into the hole with them.\u201d
\nThat is exactly what Pastor Tone Benedict did for Rios \u2014 and for Rios\u2019 wife, and for his fellow congregation members, and for all the people down and out at the Diamond Inn motel.
\nHanging with the Sinners- Maybe Benedict attended church once when growing up in Chicago. He isn\u2019t sure. Any recollection that might exist has fallen into disuse, consumed by time and his own uncertain memory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On the cracked, hot pavement of the Diamond Inn motel on Ramona Boulevard, Manny Rios huddled next to an elderly man and whispered prayers into the dense Jacksonville<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6200,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n