Months ago we met with a friend, Rex Whitton, regarding a potential acquisition of Village Oaks Apartments. Rex is a man of prayer and boldness. It was a big decision, as to whether we should pursue the acquisition. After all, Village Oaks is an infamous 488-unit complex in a very tough neighborhood in South Dallas. This would be a big challenge. This is a complex where on-duty police officers rarely go unless there is a serious problem/911 call.
At one point in the conversation Rex relayed something he thought might be from the Lord. It was that Village Oaks was a "diamond factory." That there were diamonds "in the rough" so to speak.
Well, fast forward to Friday. We have acquired Village Oaks. We have our first real event...a meet and greet time with sno-cones and candy. We met lots of people and tons of kids. However, it was the first kid I talked with that was the most interesting. I was talking with 3 other men by the Boxing Center when a young girl found her way into our circle to tap me on the leg. I didn't know why she was coming over to me as we had never met. I leaned down to get to her level. She simply said: "My name is Diamond." I asked her to repeat it. "My name is Diamond."
Diamond's eyes reflect the fact that she has some sort of a brain-injury. And oh, is she beautiful. I told her: "Boy, you've got a beautiful name, beautiful hair, and a beautiful smile. You really are the complete package!" She smiled.
It won't be hard for me to remember the first kid I met at Village Oaks. A Diamond in the rough.
-- Dean Wilson
