Rethink Homelessness

HoMeLeSsNeSs

This is a quick link to the "My Friend" series of posts that I have written.

ht: to An Cathach there are some amazing photos at this blog.

My Friend Kelley...

My Friend Kelly

Mike-
Sadly, since we have been here I have not had a lot of opportunities to talk with people. As well, since we have now lived in 6 different houses (one of the houses 2 different times) I have not had the opportunity to build any relationships. Of course this is somewhat discouraging for me since I really enjoy getting to know people. That is not to say that I have not met people here who have impacted me greatly. I want to share with you four different people who have crossed my path here in the Northwest over the next 4 blog posts. I will go in order of when I met them.

Today I will begin with Kelly. Kelly is a man of about 45 or so. I met him soon after arriving here in the Seattle area. One Sunday after church services I was leaving Soma Communities and I struck up a conversation with a young man who was holding the door open for me. In our conversation I discovered that he lived "on the hill". Because of the way that he said "on the hill" made me ask him why he said it like that. He told me that "the hill", 10 years before, was one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in all of the U.S. However much change has taken place in that sector of the city and it is no longer one of the most dangerous in the U.S.
Being interested in where this neighborhood was I asked him how to get there. He said that I was on the edge of 'the hill' now and that all I needed to do was, as he pointed up a street, to go up that hill.
So I hopped in the truck and proceeded up the hill. As I got close to the top I turned down a main street. Not long after turning, I noticed a guy having a yard sale on the sidewalk so I looked to see what he was selling as I drove buy. Seeing some old toys that were from back in the day (yes Im still very much a kid) I turned around a couple of blocks up the street and headed back so that I could stop and peruse his goods.
This man introduced himself to me as Kelly. I quickly determined that he was an addict from the burns on his  fingers and that he was homeless. He told me that he was selling items for some friends who lived in the house that we were standing in front of.
After much conversation I also found out that he was a regular kid at one time. In the early and mid 80's he told me that he was one of the best baseball players in all of the Northwest and that he had been drafted by a major league team. He said that he wasn't good enough to play in the big leagues at that time so he had to play minor league ball until he was able to move up.
I asked him what happened that prevented him from moving up.
He said that during his minor league days he discovered crack along with other drugs and from that point his new life style quickly led him to the streets. Kelly shared some stories with me that had occurred in the last 25+ years that would make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.
His stories were never prideful nor bragging, just very sad... even hopeless.
When a bridge to sharing Jesus opened up, I began to talk to him beginning in Genesis. As the story progressed he began to quietly cry. His started to slowly rock his head to the left and to the right. By the time I got to Abraham he was holding his head in his hands as he continued to rock his head.
-It was clear that the Spirit was moving-
When I got to Jesus' birth he was squatting, holding his head and rocking back and forth and crying. He continued doing this as I went through the New Testament. By the time I reached the crucifixion, he was still in the squatting position, holding his head, only now he would make sounds, sort of like short, brief moans.
Finally when I had finished, I asked him if he felt God calling him to Himself.
Kelly responded, "Feel Him? I am overwhelmed with Him!... I am consumed in Him... I feel Him everywhere."
I then asked Kelly if he was ready to ask for forgiveness and submit to the One who was overwhelming him.
Kelly's response was enough to make any Calvinist rethink his theology.
My friend said... "no".
After much more discussion regarding Kelly's condition and what needed to be done to alleviate it I discovered that just a few minutes before I pulled up, Kelly told me that he was in such a bad place, that he had just prayed asking God to save him (from his homelessness). He said that as he prayed, he was looking down the street (the direction that I had come) "knowing" that God's answer would come from that direction.

Here was God, desiring to restore Kelly not only from his homeless condition, but infinitely more, to restore his spiritual condition. And here was Kelly, unquestionably overwhelmed with God's presence knowing that God would save him, however rejecting Him, wanting to continue to submit to his god - crack cocaine.

Please pray for Kelly. Even after two months I am still deeply disturbed and burdened for him. Pray that God continues to pursue him and that Kelly responds in repentance.

My Santa Muerte Friend

I decided to visit a part of the city that I have not been to many times. This area is only about 5-10 minutes from my house and is a very impoverished area. As I drove through this neighborhood I noticed that there were a lot of people who varied in "wealth". Some were living in shacks where as others who either had more money or possibly more time to build (maybe both) had homes that were considerably nicer despite the fact that the area I was in was filled with dirt roads full of chug holes, trash and stray dogs. The wind was blowing pretty hard and being that I live in very semi-arid region south of the border the dust was terrible. After taking about 20 minutes to talk to a very kind gentleman and his wife who were in their late 50's, I drove to a tienda (a tienda is basically a house that has a room that sells sodas, candy, bread etc...) to buy a Coke. I picked this particular one because there was not any people around which would provide me more time to visit with the owner of the tienda so that I could ask questions and learn about that barrio.

I had not been inside more than a couple of minutes when I heard a derogatory word used to describe a white guy from the U.S. When I turned around there were three men at the front of the store. Not thinking too much about it nor being too worried about it I turned around and bought what I went in for and turned around to leave.

Because the lighting was not real good (many Mexican people do not use lights during the day time in order to save on their electric bill) when I saw the three men the first time, I was taken aback somewhat when I could see them a little more clearly as I was heading for the door. One of the men (about 35) had a pint bottle of beer in his hand and was clearly intoxicated. Another who appeared to be the youngest (maybe 20) had a black shirt with a bright green marijuana leaf on his shirt. The last, was the one who was concerning. He had a Santa Muerte tattoo on each of his arms as well as various other demonic tattoos and a scattering of Aztec tattoos. However, the tattoos were not what had shocked me since we have lived in both Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle. What had shocked me was the angry red and purple scar that went from one of his ears to the other. Someone had slit this young man's throat and some how, by the grace of God, he had survived.

Immediately I started asking this guy about his tattoos because I knew that he took great pride in them. He was NOT friendly at first at all. However, I persisted. He briefly answered a question when the drunk man started talking to me. He talked to me for several minutes about basically nothing.

As many of you know, I love to do "magic" tricks by making coins disappear as well as other silly little tricks. I can not remember what my bridge was in order to show the guys how I can "make" a coin go from one hand to another but the drunk guy said something that allowed me to show them the trick. The cool thing was, as it usually does, the guys relaxed and actually laughed and wanted me to do it again. I repeated the trick and showed them a few more that allowed me to ask deeper questions of these guys.

I found out what I already knew about Santa Muerte and why he had the tattoos. I also found out a little about his Aztec tattoos. Heck before I left, the guy had raised his wife beater so that I could see a tattoo on his stomach/chest, which lol I was not really that interested in seeing for obvious reasons.

The opportunity to tell the guys about how Levi (Matthew) had become a follower of Jesus and what his response was to Jesus calling him (banquet) came and as I told the story, you could see my friend with the tattoos was keenly listening. It seemed that the idea that Jesus would call someone of Levi's (Matthew's) character and then to eat with him was a revolutionary understanding of just who Jesus was/is.

Later, the drunk guy had to pull up his shirt and show me his eagle tattoo. He went on and on how the eagle represented freedom. I then asked him about that freedom and he told me that the eagle represented being set free from slavery. Soon after he wandered off and my tattoo friend asked me what freedom meant for me.

I happily shared that true freedom was being set free from one's sins and that God had set me free. I was free. Again, he paid close attention to what I said. I then handed him a tract and as he read it he would say, "This is good.", "Yes" and would look up and look me in the eye. Then he would go back to reading. When he had finished he tried to hand the tract back to me but I told him that it was for him. In a very humble manner he thanked me. He looked me in the eye and said in broken English, "Thank you. Thank you VERY much".

My friend A.R... "God Changed My Eyes"

“God changed my eyes”

UPDATED 03-02-11

Though we are still learning the language, God has allowed us to be a part of His plan here mostly through a friend who is a new believer. I will call him A.R. for possible safety reasons. A.R. came to know Christ 4 months ago. Though I did not know him prior to his conversion, I have heard stories of what he was like both from him and others, and can tell you that his conversion is the most dramatic of anyone I have ever personally been around. From what I understand, A.R. was basically a gangster. He did drugs. He sold drugs. He was an alcoholic. He carried a gun everywhere he went, both for protection from other “bad guys” and so that he could rob people.

In fact, after speaking to our pastor, the man who brought A.R. to the Lord, I found out that A.R. is a "living legend" on the streets of our city but not a good legend.

He is seen here in our city as the character in Jim Croce's song from back in the 70's, "Bad Lee Roy Brown". However, t

he difference between my friend A.R. and "Lee Roy Brown" is that God had mercy on A.R. before he was made to look like a "jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces gone".

He was separated from his wife because he was continually unfaithful to her and because she feared for her life. When this occurred, their two children went to live with her parents in another state. Because he was unfaithful to her, she decided to do the same to him. And as a result, she became pregnant.

As I said, A.R. came to know the Lord four months ago. Three months after his conversion his wife gave birth(this past January) to two beautiful girls.

Our family has been able to be witnesses to one of the most incredibly beautiful pictures of what Christ did for us through A.R.’s changed life. He is desperately seeking to restore his marriage. His wife has seen the dramatic change in him and wanted what he had. She now is a follower of Jesus Christ! He has also taken these two little girls in as his own. When he takes them into his arms and looks at them, the look of adoration, love and compassion is incredible.

Here is a man who was probably as bad as most of us can possibly imagine and today we see a man who is filled with joy. A man who understands his depravity and the grace that was shown him. Here is a man who probably understands grace better than most of us will ever be able to understand in this life.

I have also been building a relationship with another young man who is an Atheist who works near our home. This man is a chef and owns a small restaurant that I frequent. Yesterday I met with A.R. at my Atheist friend's restaurant in order to discuss penetrating a small town of a couple thousand people near my house which has essentially no Evangelical presence.

After our meeting I gave my chef friend a book by Josh McDowel hoping that it might be able to answer some of his questions. He graciously accepted it and then asked A.R. a question. That opened the door wide open for A.R. to speak Truth to my Atheist friend. A.R. talked to him for over an hour about who he was prior to conversion and who he is now.

The joy, the seriousness, the passion, the boldness that A.R. spoke to this man with about Christ was incredible. It was far beyond his years and far beyond his time as a Christ follower. My chef friend was stunned to find out that A.R. was only 28, and was even more astounded that A.R. had only been a believer for 4 months. He kept saying that he couldnt believe that A.R. was younger than him and kept saying that he thought that A.R. had been a believer for 4 years, not 4 months.

After our meeting I took A.R. to his apartment and he gave me a picture. It was a picture of him sitting in a Ferrari. Initially I did not realize that it was A.R. I thought it was another man because the face of the man who was sitting in that car looked nothing like him. It was mean and full of hate.

I told our pastor about the picture and he said 'yes, A.R. was a man full of rage and hatred. When I would talk to him he would turn red and every muscle in his body would tighten and he would shake. He was full of hate."

I asked A.R. about his eyes in that picture because they were wicked and he smiled and replied, “God changed my eyes”.

The hardness, the rage, the evilness has been replaced with joy, hope and love.

Please pray not only for A.R. and his restored family but for my chef friend. Pray that Christ would shine His grace on him in the same manner that He displayed His grace to A.R.

UPDATE:

Sunday I was witness to one of the most beautiful scenes. I was able to not only witness the baptism of both A.R. and his wife but I had the great honor of being the one who baptized them.

What a beautiful picture of God's grace! Thank you Jesus!

Jesus came...

Who Is Christmas For?

Matt B. Redmond:

Jesus came for those who look in the mirror and see ugliness.

Jesus came for daughters whose fathers never told them they were beautiful.

Christmas is for those who go to “wing night” alone.

Christmas is for those whose lives have been wrecked by cancer, and the thought of another Christmas seems like an impossible dream.

Christmas is for those who would be nothing but lonely if not for social media.

Christmas is for those whose marriages have careened against the retaining wall and are threatening to flip over the edge.

Christmas is for the son whose father keeps giving him hunting gear when he wants art materials.

Christmas is for smokers who cannot quit even in the face of a death sentence.

Christmas is for prostitutes, adulterers, and porn stars who long for love in every wrong place.

Christmas is for college students who are sitting in the midst of the family and already cannot wait to get out for another drink.

Christmas is for those who traffic in failed dreams.

Christmas is for those who have squandered the family name and fortune—they want “home” but cannot imagine a gracious reception.

Christmas is for parents watching their children’s marriage fall into disarray.

You can read the whole thing

here.

My Friend... A Tragic Life

My wife, kids and a family friend had just left Pikes Place Market and we had walked to the pickup so that we could leave and see more of Seattle. Little did I know that I was about to see a part of Seattle that most do not get to see up close.

I had just climbed into the driver's seat and was waiting for my wife, the kids and our friend to get into the pick up on the passenger side when Megan opened the door and stated in an urgent manner that I needed to come to the back of the truck quickly. Thinking that a cop was about to give us a parking ticket I hurried to the back of the truck. What I found was a homeless man asking for help.

Immediately my defenses went up and I became a little roused. I was having a type of mini flash back to Vancouver when another homeless man had approached Megan asking for financial assistance. When she told him that she did not have money he became increasingly agitated towards her and gave threatening hints that it would be in her best interest that she needed to donate to "his cause". Luckily I walked up and nothing transpired from that point.

I dont mind people coming to me and asking for assistance nor do I mind it when they become upset when I do not give them the assistance they ask for (I am happy to give food, help or whatever but am not willing to always give money for obvious reasons). When it comes to my wife, that is a different story. One can ask her for help, and if she is able to help, I know that she will. Becoming agitated and threatening becomes totally different and a line is crossed.

Thankfully as I approached the back of the truck I was able to contain my concern and express respect toward this man who would quickly become my friend. When I approached him, his back was to me. Our friend who was with us looked over this man's shoulder and when she did he quickly turned to see who was behind him. Upon seeing me he introduced himself and asked for help. As he did he handed me a card, a card that I was somewhat familiar with. I knew that the card was from a Evangelical organization who's aim was to minister to the homeless.

This organization provides a place to stay for the night, a shower and food for just a handful of dollars. He expressed his desire to stay there. No... it was more than a desire, it was an urgency or even a type of desperation. But it was not the same as the man in Vancouver's desperation. This man's was a desire of escape from the streets to a safe place whereas the man in Vancouver's desire was a desire to escape from reality to where ever the poison that he would buy, with the money we contributed to his "cause", would lead him.

This man I had just met had a very humble manner to him. His manner was that of a dog that had been kicked which I would soon learn as to why. But he also displayed a sense of godliness. I asked him if he knew Jesus, expecting his answer to be what most people who are begging is, "yes I know Jesus". And that is the answer that he gave me. Except this man said, "Yes I know Jesus." Chris then began to humbly quote scripture; not just John 3:16 but other passages. Lots of other passages. Passages that the average person wouldn't know.

I asked Megan and our friend to take the kids shopping at the antique store while I visited with this man who was about to become a friend. Megan graciously said OK and they headed into the store.

Chris, my new friend, climbed into the truck with me and we began to talk. God really began to give me new eyes to those in need. My understanding of people's pain began to grow. Chris shared that 3 years ago he had a happy marriage, they had a new baby and were regular church attenders.

That all changed in a wink of an eye.

Their baby girl died.

His wife couldn't handle it and committed suicide shortly after.

Chris went off the deep end.

He said that he started drinking and using drugs to escape the pain. He said that in just a short time he had lost his child, wife, job and home and found himself 2 hours away on the cold wet streets of downtown Seattle, making camp under a bridge, a bridge that a hundred thousand cars cross over everyday.

I couldn't keep the tears from welling up... even now they return.

I was able to encourage Chris by reminding him of various Scriptures; Scriptures that tell of God's love for His children and how He will take care of, and care for, those who are His and that he, being a child of God, is certainly cared for by Him. I told him of a new church plant in the Belltown area and he told me that he attended another church in the Belltown area. I encouraged him to really get involved with that church and to continue to seek the Lord and His will for his life.

During our conversation (Im not sure at what point he told me this story) Chris told me that when he had attended church with his family in Yakima that he hardly ever listened to the sermons. He said that he would fade off to other things of life. Amazed he told me that after he had been living on the streets that God continually brought Scripture to his mind. He said that he was able to recall complete passages though he had never taken the time to sit down and memorize them. He said that God's Word was what was helping him to come back to reality and get a grip on things.

I found myself digging in my pockets, in my back pack and in the cigarette tray trying to dig up all the money I had. Upon giving the money, as well as various other goodies like a stash of Power Bars to Chris, I made him promise that he would spend it wisely. He said he would.

I trusted him.

I told him that I would lovingly hold him accountable since I had obtained his email just prior to me giving him these things. Instead of being offended, he was thankful, thankful not just because I gave him money but that I would hold him accountable.

Before we departed company we were able to pray for one another. What a blessing it was to have met him. God showed me things about who He is in our encounter as well as things about myself. I look forward to the day that he and I will be able to rejoice together when we get to heaven.

No I do not understand why Chris' life has been so tragic. Nor will I pretend to do so. Knowing that God is sovereign and that He dearly loves His children, I will have to rest in the fact that though I do not see the sense in what has transpired in Chris life, that God's purposes are being played out.

I will have to trust that God know's what is best. All the time. In all circumstances.

-------------------------

I heard back from Chris a week later. He wrote me saying that he had indeed spent the money wisely. He said that he was able to stay in the shelter mentioned above for several days and that he was able to buy some good socks. Socks that would keep his feet in good shape, dry and warm for the coming winter months.

Socks.

Socks to keep one's feet healthy, dry and warm.

What a horrible life Chris must live right now.

When good socks are a priority to survival...

Two months later I am still not able to get my mind around this engagement. At the same time I am still numbed with the horror that has transpired in Chris' life while joyed in being able to see God's provision for Chris through blessing him with the nourishment of His Word through the miraculous ability to recall passages that had never really been studied. Too I am humbly grateful in knowing that I have not had to live a life such as the one that Chris has led.

I think that I will stop here. Right now I cant think about it anymore.

If you have stumbled onto this page I pray that this story haunts you as it has me. I pray that Chris' story will stay burned into your memory as he has mine so that you will pray for him as well as those who live on the streets who have stories similar to his.

My Friend.... Engaging in Story-Life Inside a Story

Engaging in Story

Downloadby Jeff Vanderstelt May 6, 2010

Life Inside a Story

Everyone Has a Dominant Story

Every person you encounter, every community you enter into and every culture you engage has a dominant Story with many sub-stories. The Dominant Story is the most prominent, compelling and controlling informant for how people perceive God, others and the world. Some call this a worldview because it is the lens through which they view the world. One’s worldview shapes how they receive and process information, engage in relationships, make decisions and shape their philosophy and beliefs. You can discover a person’s dominant story by asking questions.

Complete this sentence with the first 3-5 descriptions that come to your mind “God is…”

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Write down the three words that come to your mind when you hear the word “Father”:

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How you responded reveals part of your Story…How you describe God is connected to your dominant Story…What you think of Father comes from your dominant Story…

IN GROUPS: Discuss how you believe Your Story shapes your response…

______________________________________

When I read the above exercise it came at a very amazing time. It was clear that God was showing me a new way to think about people as well as myself.

I had worked for many hours on this video. It is a video about homeless women. Though I was not able to capture all the aspects of homelessness well, the intent was to show that drugs are a huge contributor to homelessness. It really gave me new insight into the plight that many, not only women but me as well, have in regards to homelessness. This video, even after making it, continued to disturb me.

Little did I know what God was preparing me for.

Since we had arrived in the Seattle area some 2 - 2 1/2 months prior, I had been dying to go downtown Seattle in order to take pictures as well as to observe the people. Interestingly the day that I had scheduled to go downtown happened to be the same day that a pastor from Mars Hill agreed to meet with me. This pastor at one time had been a homeless addict who had been saved by the grace of God. Unfortunately the meeting was canceled and I was never able to visit with him.

During my time downtown I took hundreds of photos; photos of buildings, photos of alleys; photos of people; photos of posters; photos of gum wall, you name it. If it was interesting, I took a picture of it.

Having never ridden the light rail system here in Seattle, I decided that since my feet were killing me from walking who knows how many miles, I would hop aboard and ride out to the airport and back. We had traveled no more than two stops when a rough looking lady came and sat by me. You could tell that she had lived a life that no father would ever want his daughter to live. Some of her front teeth were gone. Her hair was dry and brittle. Her skin was weathered. Her hands did not look like the hands of one who has spent the majority of their time in-doors.

Soon after sitting she pulled out a hard back, black Bible and opened to Romans chapter 8. When I noticed what book she was reading I told her that Romans was my favorite book of the Bible. She smiled and said, "ya me too". She then stated that though she loved the God's Word, there was a lot that she still did not understand. She asked me if I would help explain to her what a particular section in the Bible was saying.

I joyfully went through these verses explaining to the best of my ability what Paul was saying as he wrote this.

I do not remember exactly how but we got on the topic of how she came to Christ. She told me that a year before, she had been homeless, a drug addict and a lesbian but God had delivered her from her life style (from her sin). She was now sharing her love for Jesus with all her old friends, as well as all who would listen to her, both friends or strangers.

She shared that as a little girl, her father had molested her often and that her view of what a father was, made her want to have NOTHING to do with God the Father.

She said, "The only understanding I had of what a father was... was horrible. I did not want to even get close to God because I was afraid of Him. I was afraid that if I let Him get too close to me, He would do horrible things to me. I was afraid of Him and did not want to have anything to do with Him."

She went on to tell me how a year ago she came to know her heavenly Father and was amazed that He was nothing like the father who had molested her as a little girl! She said that her heavenly Father loved her. She said that she could not get over the love that He had for her. She was truly amazed.

Not long after meeting my friend Colleen I came across "Engaging in Story-Life Inside a Story". I saw how Colleen's story is a perfect example of this exercise. Her whole worldview was affected by how her earthly father had treated her. Her understanding of who God is had been so distorted that it caused her to run from Him.

Jeff Vanderstelt wrote in this exercise, "How you responded reveals part of your Story…How you describe God is connected to your dominant Story…What you think of Father comes from your dominant Story…" hit the nail on the head. Jeff went on to write, "His Story precedes, finishes, corrects and ultimately makes sense of all other stories. " and I was privileged to be able to hear how He had worked in her life to correct it and how He was making sense of it.

To see God's hand in this is humbling. To have been able to be a part of her God story, of having the great honor of explaining the text that she was inquiring about makes me wonder if He had sent an angel to sit by me on my way to the airport. :) The reason I say this is because of the passage that she asked me to explain to her. My time here in Seattle, the relationships I have made, the things I have learned, the materials I have "stumbled" upon, the teachers I have come across has been too perfect, too perfect to be just "coincidence". It is clear that God's providence is clearly being played out.

The two pictures in this post are of her. Unfortunately neither are very good but they did capture the time with her well. One is of her pointing to the passage in question and the other is after she had gotten off the train and as the train was passing, she was waving to say good bye not knowing for sure which car I was on.

As I type this I praise God for the work He has done in my life as my 5 year old daughter climbs on me kissing me, squeezing me and telling me that she loves me.

God is good.