The streets of Atlanta…

picture courtesy of Emerging Grace

So, I’m in Atlanta for a meeting, conference and expo and I had a chance to do some exploring today (which is rare these days when I travel for a meeting). On my way back from Olympic Park, a guy approached me on the street to ask where I was going. I told him that I was on my way back to my car by the MLK, Jr. historic site. After saying that he was surprised that I was walking that far, he shared with me that he was homeless. His name is Eric. We introduced ourselves and after explaining why I had traveled all the way from Pennsylvania, I asked him to share his story with me. It turns out that he has only been on the streets two-and-a-half months. He told me that he found his wife sleeping with another man and turned to alcohol. Eric was arrested for DUI and has been living on the streets ever since.

This is the second divine ordained encounter (if you will) with a homeless person in the past week. All of this following my conviction after reading Todd’s blog.

I want to share a few things that I learned from Eric:

Eric believes in God. When he found out I work with churches and preach on the side, he asked me to pray for him. In fact, he is confident that God is using this situation to strengthen him and teach him what it means to appreciate things after having everything stripped away. Eric appreciates what he has and where he is. He thanks God that he is alive, has a new pair of boots, and has only been on the streets for two-and-a-half months (a lot shorter than most of his other friends).

Eric told me that he appreciated that I talked to him. He said most people won’t even look at him. He said that in most cases if he approaches someone to ask them for something or talk, the police tell him to move along so he doesn’t harass anyone.

Eric wants to work. He said he has filled out a number of applications, but most employers will not consider him if he lists a shelter as his home. A friend of his uses a P.O. Box number to have a better chance. He asked the owner of a restaurant if he could help them clean in exchange for food and they called the police on him. He asked someone for money and they began to curse him out.

What hurts Eric the most is when people dehumanize him (by not looking at him, acknowledging him, or seeing any value in him). You could see it lift his spirits when I told him that the two of us are no different. For whatever reason God has placed us in the current situations we find ourselves.

Eric has been on my heart and mind ever since. I have been praying for him. After he left, I wondered if I would remain so faithful despite losing every material thing that I have. I wondered why I live in comfort with no real need when so many others do not. God has been working in my heart on the issue of homelessness lately. I pray that God continues to give me compassion and love for the least of these, so that I do not grow desensitized to their plight. I pray that I do not take what I have for granted, but continue to give out of the abundance that God has blessed me with. I pray for Eric for safety, encouragement, strength, faith and that God will bring him out of this current situation at just the right time to bring glory to His name. And if Eric does not find his way off the streets, I pray that God will continue to use him as an inspiration to those like myself who so often look past the poverty and injustice right under our noses.