A Personal Update

Where I Am Today

July 2013

Much has happened since I last wrote a definitive posting of what has been happening in my life and my journey towards leaving my homeless condition behind me.

I still am camping, collecting aluminum cans (sometimes), going to food banks and all the other things I need to do to survive. Much of that will never change in any substantial way while I am still homeless. With that being said I have to make adjustments in the sorts of things I am doing because of my age, my medical issues, the weather and several other factors. On top of that there a few things that I have started doing that are new or at least, that I am now prepared to undertake.

Some of you already know that I have started writing a regular column called “On The Street” for a local street newspaper called The Journey. While writing for this monthly publication, like my blog, is extremely gratifying, neither one provides any real income with one exception. My writing does not generate any income of any sort, I do on the other hand make a few dollars by selling copies of the newspaper. This is the concept behind the paper, a means for poor or homeless people to earn a little money. At present I manage to sell about 30 copies of the paper per month and am looking for more people who wish to buy it. Most people purchase 5, 10 or more copies at a time to give to their friends or to deliver to friends that have purchased copies themselves. If you are interested in purchasing copies of the paper let me know.

On another front, I’ve had to make certain lifestyle adjustments because of my age and increasing difficulties with the summer heat. I spend more and more time trying to stay cool. Sometimes at the library, even though getting there and back is difficult with the heat. Some of the time when I don’t leave camp I will spend time just soaking in the cool water of the creek here.

On another heat related issue, walking or riding my bicycle is not a good idea except early in the morning or for very short distances which makes trips to most of the food banks extremely difficult. Until I manage to increase what little income I do earn I have not been able to budget enough to use the public transportation system. Even riding a bus is a good way to stay cool although it can eat through a limited budget rapidly.

Now on another front, I have been adopted by a family that lives on the west side of town. In terms of blessings, this is a huge one. While this family is not wealthy, they have made a huge difference though their love and caring as well as helping as much as they can with material things that are difficult to find otherwise. They have been to my camp several times and have had me to their home for a meal and fellowship many times in the 6 months that I have known them. Thanks have to go to Jeff, Sondra, Krystal, Jessie, Emily and Elijah.

Last year my friend John Ramsey, CEO the local branch of the Hands of Hope organization made a statement that this year will be my year to get out of this camp and leave my homelessness behind. Truthfully this seems to be coming true. There haven’t been any great developments in this but with the right mental attitude, the support of my adopted family, The Hands of Hope people and a host of others, John’s statement may just come true. It sure seems more likely than it did last year.

Now things have not all been positive. There have been some issues with rowdy neighbors  who attract their friends and of course ultimately the police. Then there was the drug dealer that somehow found my camp whom I’ve not talked to in several years and more police. Fortunately I’ve been blessed and even these two issues as well as a few others have all been resolved with a good ending, at least well in my perspective.

All along I’ve figured HE has got me here for a reason. I’ve been through what I have for a reason. If you are alive, then you are learning. I’ve learned a lot of things. I’ve managed to change my basic personality from being an introvert to someone a bit more outgoing. I can now deal with people, professionals and friends more easily than I ever have in the past. Today I when I pray for my friends, real friends, instead of 2 or 3 people being prayed for it is a much larger number.  Between my faith in HIM, my real friends and all that I have learned, I know in my heart that getting out of here is going to become a reality soon.

With that last being said, even though I may leave this camp and start moving forward, I still plan to write for the blog and the newspaper. I guess you might say that I will become a sort of advocate for the homeless people who are struggling as I do and have. I feel comfortable writing about these things. From all the feedback that I get from the readers of the blog and the newspaper this may be what I was meant to do. I will probably annoy some people as I have with my writing in the past but I have to tell it like it is. The homeless people themselves are seldom heard. I have a couple of channels to reach people about what homelessness really is and I’m going to use it.