Homeless Awareness

This week marked the culmination of months of planning, as the two rescue missions held their anniversary banquets, along with a homeless awareness luncheon geared toward the business community.  For the events' keynote speaker, we brought in Mike Yankoski, author of Under the Overpass:  A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America.  I first read the book in January as a work assignment (a quick read through), but I spent the last couple months reading the book with more intensity as I conducted an online book club through the mission's Facebook page.  Even though I work at a rescue mission, Mike's story made me realize just how much I didn't know about homelessness.  I think many of my co-workers would agree. 


As a twenty year old college student, Mike was convicted by his pastor's sermon on "being the Christian you say you are," based on the parable of the Good Samaritan.  He didn't see a connecting thread of radical, living obedience between what he said about his world and how he lived in it.  He said, "Sure, I claimed that Christ was my stronghold, my peace, my sustenance, my joy.  But I did all that from the safety of my comfortable upper-middle-class life.  I never really had to put my claims to the test." (p. 15) He questioned whether he could say with the Apostle Paul, "I have learned what it means to be content in all circumstances, whether with everything or with nothing" (Philippians 4:11-12).  In the middle of the sermon, Mike was struck with the idea that changed his life:  "What if I stepped out of my comfortable life with nothing but God and put my faith to the test alongside of those who live with nothing every day?" (p. 15)  And so, with careful planning in place, he and a buddy put their college careers on hold to spend five months on the streets of several American cities.  What his shares about his experiences serve both as an indictment and an encouragement regarding the Christian community's responsibility to love our [homeless] neighbors as ourselves. 


Mike and his wife Danae recently wrote a book entitled Zealous Love, a practical guide to social justice (in the biblical sense).  The book offers information on how you can incorporate social justice into your life.  Since I just began reading this book, I can't really comment on it other than to say that it introduces its readers to eight of the world most-pressing challenges:  human trafficking, unclean water, refugees, hunger, lack of education, the degradation of creation, HIV/AIDS, and economic inequality.  I plan to share information from this book as I read each chapter.  

Hearing Mike speak was a real blessing.  Besides being a polished and passionate speaker, he is obviously well-studied in the areas of theology, philosophy, history, and world events.  Mike is currently a graduate student in theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, is on the board of World Vision, and speaks on behalf of Compassion International.  If interested, you can read more about Mike at www.undertheoverpass.com.