Denver Catholic

4 JUNE 10-23, 2017 | DENVER CATHOLIC Cover Story H e stands against the orange- stained horizon, donned in a cowboy hat and spurred boots. Beside him, a horse grazes in the grass, wearing a saddle that's ripe for riding. It's easy to see that this man and horse share a bond; one that could only be shared between a cowboy and his trusty steed. Meet John Calderon, a cowboy and Catholic convert whose life has radi- cally been changed by Christ. Calderon, better known as "Cowboy John" to some in the community, has spent the last 28 years in Glenwood Springs, a town revered for its beauti- ful mountain scenery and natural hot springs. The rapid growth of Glenwood over the past several years has enabled Calderon to make a decent living as a tile and stone contractor. Though Glenwood Springs is a largely a¡uent community, the real- ity is that with large influxes of people comes an increase in the number of homeless. Ten years ago, Calderon wouldn't have turned a blind eye to a beggar on the street; today, he calls some of those beggars friends, and does much more than just give them the occasional handout. "I started noticing people. I feel like when I look at people around us," Calderon said, pointing to a woman across the street, "I see God's children everywhere." After his conversion, Calderon felt compelled to speak to homeless people in the area. It all started when he pulled up to McDonald's in his truck, grabbed a Big Mac and parked in the parking lot to eat. "I'd seen a lot of homeless people in the area, and I just decided to start join- ing them for lunch," he said. "Talking to them, asking them where they were from and who they were. It got to where I enjoyed it." ANGEL IN A COWBOY HAT From there, it grew naturally. Cal- deron would get to know some of the homeless people he interacted with and would gradually o€er them more and more help. Calderon connected with one homeless couple in partic- ular, David and Diane Whitlock, and eventually began inviting them to his home, allowing them to do laundry and take a hot shower. "Everybody else turns their back on us, but John is the only one who actually helped and said what he was going to do," David said. The sad reality of being homeless isn't just the di cult living conditions people find themselves in. The Whit- locks recounted stories of being spit on, being called expletives, being told to get a job and worse. Many people who drive by treat them as less than human, but not Calderon. "John is an angel sent from heaven, I'm telling you," Diane said. "He is an inspiration to all of us homeless. He not only buys us food, or provides for what we need, he gets out here and talks with us like we're human. "A true Christian is not going to be afraid to get dirty, and he's not." Living on the streets can lead to a rough appearance, Calderon said, which not only makes it hard to get a job, but is also a big reason why there seems to be fear among people when approaching a homeless person. "I hate that word, 'homeless,' it puts a label over someone's head. They don't look like you or I, and because of that appearance, it freaks people out," he said. "But in reality, there's a child of God underneath all of that." TRICKS OF THE TRADE The Whitlocks have been home- less for several years, drifting about the country, but always end up back in Glenwood Springs. They believe it's because God wanted them to meet Cal- deron. They have both been having a tough time finding employment, and as a married couple of 28 years, they'd like to be able to do something together. Calderon was an answer to this prayer, as well. "He actually made us comfortable before he told us he owned a business and was willing to hire us on and teach us a trade," Diane said. "That's what we've been looking for, something we BY AARON LAMBERT aaron.lambert@archden.org @AaronLmbrt Meet 'Cowboy John,' a man transformed by Christ After encountering Christ in the Catholic Church, John Calderon began seeing people diŒerently. He felt compelled to begin helping homeless people in Glenwood Springs, and is lovingly called an "angel" by some. PHOTOS BY ANDREW WRIGHT I see God's children everywhere." JOHN CALDERON "

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