Leon has been standing at a major intersection in Richmond for months now, holding a sign warning of the second coming of Christ. He stands there all day with his sign secured firmly in a flag holder, working the traffic lights in hopes of saving some helpless souls.
At first I simply scoffed at him, labeling him crazy zealot but after seeing him day after day I began to admire his dedication. I also decided that he would make a great subject for some candid portraits so I set off yesterday evening to see if he would let me photograph him.
I bought him a Gatorade, thinking that he had to be hot and tired from standing in the summer heat all day long. At first he tried to pay me for the drink, telling me that he does not preach for money, food, or drink but I insisted that it was simply a gift from me to him and he agreed to fill his water bottle with it.
I asked him if I could photograph him and told him that my photos would likely be posted on the internet but assured him that I would not use them in a demeaning way and he kindly agreed to let me photograph him at work, telling me that God had given him a message earlier in the week that he needed to use the internet to get his word out.
What I find most intriguing about Leon is that he believes that every action he takes is God’s will and claims that he does nothing without first being told by God to do it, including taking a break to go eat at Lee’s Famous Recipe down the road. He talked with me for quite some time about his background. He grew up in Lebanon, KY and then moved to Liberty, KY and has preached across the country. At one point he even had a van plastered with signs about Jesus and the Apocalypse that he drove around which he showed me a picture of. He described the persecution he has undergone throughout his journey to preach what he believes is the word of God and I even witnessed some of it first hand when people drove by, yelling obscenities. At one point someone threw garbage at both of us.
Last year, Leon could be seen warning that the end of the world would come before the end of 2008 but on December 31, he claims that he received a message from God, telling him that He had delayed His plans and that the second coming would occur sometime during 2009. So Leon altered his sign and set out to spread the word.
I certainly don’t agree with most of the things Leon said but he seems to have a good heart and means no harm to anyone. I don’t share his beliefs but I am grateful that he let me photograph him and am thankful for the experience. At one point, I even got to hold the sign while he filled up his water bottle.
I am so proud of you! What a neat learning experience. That is the most cool thing I have seen you photograph! And what a kind heart you have. Even the photos show it.
I love it and glad you had the courage to ask Leon for the chance. Just love it!
Now you are my hero for sure!
Nice write-up, great photographs.
This is so great! I love this Colin.
Well I am sorry to tell you that Leon is not a nice guy. He has been in the Columbia/ Campbellsville area for years, and has been arrest numerous times.
Here is a link to show you how he really acts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iIQntfminQ
MorgMac,
I've actually come across quite a few testimonials to support your opinion including some people who told me that he attends churches in the area and disrupts the services so I guess he's not as nice as my experience made me believe. I guess that doesn't really surprise me given his obviously unstable mental state.
Just found this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iIQntfminQ
Good post. I enjoyed finding out about the man holding the sign. I wonder if him and Big World ever get in a turf war. "Hey, that's my corner!" haha.
I enjoy this post very much. Although I would never wish Leon any harm, I'm amazed to see such an intimate example where religion has served as a mechanism for a disturbed man's psychosis. It's good to see you're back at it. Keep up the good work.
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This man is NOT nice. My Great Aunt died, and at her funeral he busted in through the doors and said she was going to Hell and that everyone else there was too. He’s crazy, and honestly everyone wishes he’d go far away from society.
Hello, My name is William.
I’ve known Leon for years. In my opinion HE IS more of a man than any of you could hope to be.
He has been through some of the worst things before he was like this. He used to live each day looking for the next high, while also dealing with the loss of his mother, whom he was very close with.
Regarding the video on youtube, everyone has their bad days. How would you react if you had insult’s, cans of soda, and trash flying at you 24/7
I will state he’s not their mentally, but he does have a good heart. I saw him give his last penny to a man worse off than him. I myself was homeless for a point in my life. It was this man who saved my life. He didn’t just give me a hand out. I stated that I didn’t believe in God. He respectfully disagreed, but still helped me out. He drove me 30 miles into another town, And introduced me to a nice group of people that helped me get a job and a home.
All i’m stating is before you fling insults forth at this man who shows more devotion than most of you combined, take a look at yourself. Have you not done wrong within your life?
This is like my third time coming by your site. I really love the content of your blog. It must have taken you a lot of hours and effort. Keep writing.
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