Canal Street preacher battling stomach cancer but keeps fighting
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Keith Sam, known for preaching in public on Canal Street for decades, is battling stomach cancer.
WGNO spoke with Sam’s sister, Yvette Sam-Martin, and she says that while her brother is hospitalized, he continues to battle every day.
Sam, 65, recently came off of a ventilator and is out of intensive care. Sam-Martin also says that her brother continues to be carried by his faith.
This is a profile story on Keith Sam we originally aired in July 2016:
Keith Sam has been a mainstay on Canal Street for 40 years. You would consider him a vendor of sorts. As opposed to selling items like shoes, jewelry, or clothes, Sam peddles the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Sam came to preach like almost everyone does.
“Well, God called me to preach, and he first started preparing me for the street ministry when I was in Job Corps back in 1975,” Sam says.
Back then, a riot broke out on the Job Corps base, and a lot of guys, including Sam, started going to chapel. Out of that bad incident came Sam’s intro to the gospel.
So, why does Sam preach downtown?
“Well, Canal Street is pretty much a public place where a lot of people are back and forth. Jesus said go to the highways and hedges and compel men women and children to come to him, so it’s just one way to expose a lot of people to God’s goodness,” he says.
One thing you won’t see when you see Sam is a change bucket or tip jar.
“I try hard not to focus on preaching for money, even though through the years I’ve had a lot of people approach me to try to preach for money, but the bible is plain as far as saying that is without charge,” according to Sam
In a world where we all have motives for what we do, it’s common to want one’s work to affect people positively. Sam says believes he’s done just that.
“I believe the Lord – through me – has made a change and a difference in the lives of a lot of people,” he says.
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