For the last five years, my wife and I have intentionally given our young children an unforgettable experience (spending quality time with them, and creating positive winter memories).
But this year will be a little different. I won’t be around for the beginning of the Christmas Break to spend time with my family.
No. I’m not leaving my family, but with my wife & children’s blessing I am going to attempt to do something I have never done before! I’m going to make myself homeless for a few days starting the evening of December 22nd-25th (and journal, record, and blog about my experience on this site)! Why? Because my wife and I care and have worked with the homeless population in this city for eight years, I (Terence) have experienced homelessness in my younger years, and we both want to do all we can to help resource people working with this population and raise awareness about the epidemic in this city (Atlanta). Also, a person I have befriended (Kurt) challenged me to do it. He stays here (in the picture):
He shared with me that he’d rather stay here because some of the shelters close by are overcrowded with a few urinals and showers. He also said, it’s very uncomfortable to get a good night’s rest. So, he has chosen to stay on the streets (literally).
I asked him, “Why don’t you just at least get off the streets and stay in the shelter?” and he stated, “I bet you will not live in those shelters for one night without coming to stay with me…”
I took him up on his offer…
I’m going to sleep in shelters, beg for money, try to find food, sleep on the streets, and build relationships with more homeless people to get a full understanding of the shoes they have to wear (for four days…all the way up to Christmas morning). I will miss my family, but will be back to see my children’s faces early Christmas morning. I am going to take one pair of clothes, a friend (Travis Lamb), and my laptop. That’s it… “nothing” else!
I’m not doing this to pat myself on the back, but to gain an experience to be able to advocate about the pros & cons of this epidemic in Atlanta. I want to see #lovebeyondwalls grow to impact the lives of “vulnerable people” not only in this city, but around the country. People are hurting, and I believe God needs people taking God’s love and the power of the gospel to those who are hurting. I am taking one week to prepare my mind for this, and am taking this scripture Jesus stated in his “Beatitudes,”
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:3, NKJV)”
I know this is dangerous, but I feel like I am being called to do this! More info to come soon.
Terence
