Dr. Willie Wilson was born in Mississippi to poor sharecropping parents. Today, as a successful businessman, he uses his wealth to help the poor save their homes from foreclosure. He also bails out poor young men who can’t make bail for petty nonviolent crimes. His early life helps to explain his generosity. After dropping out of school, he made his way to Florida, then New York, and finally Chicago. He held several menial jobs before he met the founder of McDonald’s, Ray Kroc. Wilson boldly asked Kroc for a franchise. Kroc, himself a school dropout, saw potential in Wilson and gave him a franchise. From that humble start, Wilson became wealthy. His poor beginning gave him a desire to help the hurting. Like Wilson, Jesus grew up in Nazareth, a small town where 70% of the people were poor. His early exposure to poverty surely caused Him to identify with the plight of poor people. That early exposure prepared Him to connect with the hungry, to heal the hurting, and to comfort the oppressed. Today, people who have never known poverty need to draw near our Lord so they can respond with compassion to His concern for the poor and less fortunate.
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Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.) Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
