One of the notions about homelessness is that all homeless people come from the streets and are lazy and dangerous people that need to be avoided. Granted, some might fit that description, but not nearly all of them. Homelessness is no respecter of persons. Not every tragic situation comes from a lifetime of trauma. We see men and women in our shelters who have had one bad turn of events or have made one bad choice, and their entire lives have spiraled out of control.
Take Matt. He was raised in a loving family who took him to church and taught him to appreciate the truths of God’s Word from an early age. His father fondly recalls how Matt proudly carried his little Bible with him everywhere. He had a deep-rooted faith and a very supportive family.
However, everything changed for Matt when he received a call from his brother informing him that his sister had taken her own life. It would be an understatement to say that he was devastated. This plunged him into a dark place of grief and depression.
In his search for peace, he sold everything and retreated to the mountains of Colorado. Not such a terrible thing to do unless you consider he had a wife and children. He benefited some from the solitude, but when he returned when the money ran out, his family didn’t want anything to do with him. His wife’s exact words were, “You’re not coming here.”
Homelessness led Matt to the streets where he was introduced to methamphetamines, a new low in his life. After a few run-ins with the law, he was court ordered to the New Beginnings Addiction Recovery Program. He shared with me that when his eyes opened on that first morning at Faith Mission, someone was mopping the floor under his bed. He went on to say how that seemed to symbolize to him how his life was about to change. And boy did it ever.
Matt gave everything to the program and to changing his life. He renewed his relationship with Christ and dug into God’s Word. In the process, he was restored to his family and became physically healthy again.
Matt has moved back to his hometown, has work lined up and is volunteering at the local homeless shelter with his daughter. More living proof that every person has a story and every story matters to God.
