Click to enlarge Ron Hall, author of "Same Kind of Different as Me", speaks at the Four Rivers Outreach banquet on Thursday at the Municipal Building in Sherman.

BY JOYCE GODWIN

HERALD DEMOCRAT

It's been on The New York Times nonfiction bestseller list for more than 130 weeks, a record for the publisher Thomas Nelson. "Same Kind of Different As Me," is a book written by two friends. One a former convict who can't read; the other a successful and wealthy art dealer. It chronicles the development of their unlikely friendship.

The linchpin of the friendship is Deborah Hall, Ron Hall's wife who died of colon cancer. Deborah had an unquenchable love for the homeless and Denver Moore was one of those. She called them God's people.

The way Ron Hall tells it, Debbie dreamed they would meet a man who was wise and would help bring revival. Ron and Debbie were serving meals in Fort Worth's Union Gospel Mission when a commotion broke out and in the center of the melee, they saw Moore threaten to kill the 20 people who were around him if his shoes were not returned. Ron describes himself as one of those who ran for cover while he saw his wife jumping up and down, pointing to Moore and telling her husband that was the man of her dreams.

The obstacles were many to keep Ron and Denver from getting together. Trust was a big issue and Hall said his arrogance was another. But his wife's prodding kept him making the effort until an association began.

The book tells how the well-to-do couple welcomed a homeless man into their home to live with them, how he came to know God and how Ron Hall, who believed Denver had nothing to offer him, became the student and Denver became the professor.

Ron Hall said he is merely carrying the torch of Debbie's legacy to help her passion make a difference.

The story of Ron, Debbie and Denver is about to be made into a movie.

Hall shared some of Moore's opinions Thursday night at the Four Rivers giving banquet at the Sherman Municipal Building. "Denver, my homeless friend says, 'There are too many people in the world doing Bible studies and not enough doing Bible doings.'" Ron added that Four Rivers has a lot of Bible doings going on.

Hall said he continues speaking out on behalf of the homeless and hopes to raise awareness as well as funds to help "God's people." Debbie's mission has become his own.

Staff writer Jonathan Cannon contributed to this story.