Home of the Homeless

 6-4-11
 10:24 PM
 

This is the "home" of a homeless person

who lives under a thruway overpass.

Saturday was a very harrowing day as we dealt with murder. The Dad of a YWAP Staff member was shot as he sat fixing his granddaughters pink bike. He was an innocent bystander. A Father died after being hit with a stray bullet from a gun in the hands of an angry young man.  On Sunday we went to court and found out we would have to post bail for the innocent girl. We did not have bail so we found a Bondsman who gave us the full afternoon to raise the needed capital for his fee.The whole weekend I cried a lot, each murder of someone close to you hurts worse than the previous death. We have dealt with many killings in the last ten years here in Buffalo. 

The sidewalk below the homeless persons "home"

is strewn with glass from broken bottles that

 used to contain beer, wine and whiskey.

On Monday, I wanted to take a few hours to recharge before I went back to assist the family of the innocent man who died. I went for a run. Before I had covered one mile, I saw three men wearing only shorts, they were  shoe-less and shirtless, yelling at each other. They were standing underneath a viaduct with broken beer bottles littering the sidewalk. The combatants were at the end of a bottle throwing battle and now continued with a verbal assault. They were all very drunk.

          Two of the homeless men lived on one side of the street. The other homeless man lived diagonally in a separate viaduct across the street. It was not a beautiful day in the neighborhood. The two men went back to their side as I approached. I asked the first man what the problem was as the other men continued to scream that I should call the Police regarding their neighbor. One of the men then came toward us and the man I was talking to ran into the street narrowly missing oncoming traffic. Realizing that he could get hurt or cause an accident, I called the Police. A Patrol car arrived and I think I detected a slight smile as the Officer got out of his car and walked toward us. He said that they were getting way too many calls and if this behavior continued he would have to evict them. I think it was a regular routine for him, he smiled and left. I stayed to talk to the men.

 

Personal possessions and a few pieces of food

 are stashed in a corner.

        The single man told me that his neighbors had stolen seven dollars from his pocket as he slept. I then told him that God had a plan for his life but he would never use the gift that God had given him if he continued to live the way he was living. We prayed as he grabbed my hand and squeezed it until I hurt. He then turned around and headed up to his living quarters under the bridge. He was crying and looked almost like a sad puppy dog after being scolded, his self esteem was gone. I hurt for him.

          I walked down to where the other men were. The shorter of the two kept saying: "God bless you." He also told me several times that he had a Bible up in his "home." He said he had lived there for five years. He tried to keep his friend away from me. I think he was comfortable in his captivity in a bottle of alcohol. His friend walked up and glared at me. I launched into the same speech that I had given the first man. I told him that God had a plan for his life. His gaze began to soften as the Holy Spirit worked on him. I declared: "demon alcohol be gone in Jesus Name." I said it several times as his friend tried to divert his attention. I spoke to his heart and told him that he was healed in Jesus Name. He finally and tearfully walked away and headed up to his "home."

          You might think I'm a fruitcake after reading that story. I'm okay with that. The truth is, I cared for those men and I could feel their pain and embarrassment. Imagine what it would be like if you sank that low. Even if you said to yourself: "Today I'm going to get up and look for a job" who would

The homeless men live in

 the shadow of the Cross.

hire you? Dirty, smelly, unshaven, unkempt, fearful, ashamed and beaten, how do you even begin unless somebody pours love on you. There is a Bright Spot here because I will continue to pray and I believe you will pray also. Here's a quote taken from The Message:

  "Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there." Matthew 18:18-20 

Dear God, I ask that those homeless men find a home in You. Amen

Today's Wise Saying is taken from Proverbs 23:19-21

 

Proverbs 23:19-21

New International Version (NIV)

Saying 16

¹⁹ Listen, my son, and be wise,
    and set your heart on the right path:
²⁰ Do not join those who drink too much wine
    or gorge themselves on meat,
²¹ for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
    and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Proverbs 23:19-21

The Message (MSG)

15

^19-21 Oh listen, dear child—become wise;
    point your life in the right direction.
Don’t drink too much wine and get drunk;
    don’t eat too much food and get fat.
Drunks and gluttons will end up on skid row,
    in a stupor and dressed in rags.

Proverbs 23:19-21

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁹ Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your mind in the way [of the Lord].

²⁰ Do not associate with winebibbers; be not among them nor among gluttonous eaters of meat,

²¹ For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Proverbs 23:19-21

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁹ Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
²⁰ Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
²¹ For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Any form of addiction is a mask that hides fear.

Heart - Storming Challenge:

• How do you deal with low self esteem?
• How do you help someone who does not feel valued?
• How do you provide a spiritual home for the homeless?

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.

Jesus loves you and so do we.