Under the Overpass

This book is incredible! I remember this past summer around the time the group went to Chicago, Mrs. Kramer talking about Under the Overpass and how it dealt with a lot of the same things we saw on the trip-poverty, homeless shelters, begging. I just recently remembered this book when I was getting ready to go to Chicago a couple weeks ago. I have been so encouraged by the experiences these two guys have had.

The basic idea of this book is that these two college guys became homeless for about five months. Their goal: to see if they would have the same faith with nothing as they did with everything. It is so awesome to read how much their faith grew during this time. They each literally had a backpack with some clothes and a sleeping bag, a guitar, and their Bible/journal.

Their view on faith and the church and homelessness in general completely changed. Here are some of my favorite sentences I've read so far:

* "If we are the body of Christ-and Christ came not for the healthy but the sick-we need to be fully present in the places are most broken. And it has to be more than just financial presence...When we're willing to get down to eating together, listening and telling the truth together, cleaning together, pealing potatoes together, the Gospel comes alive"

* "A church is just a building if there's no one in it"

* "While kids might pretend people who don't exist do, it's the parents who pretend that unwanted people who do exist don't"

* "...the man with the Bible told both couples he would pray for them. Both couples thanked him honestly and said the same thing in reply. As they walked past us, Sam and I looked up, trying to catch their eyes and nod a hello. But they carefully looked away...many times I had walked past a homeless man or woman sitting on the cold sidewalk, awkwardly averted my eyes and whistling to cover my dicomfort. I wondered if those men and woman had been as frustrated with me as I now was with the people who were walking down the stairs"

* "Paul suggests in 2 Corinthians 8 that God gives us wealth so that, by giving it away, others will be amazed by God's goodness and give Him thanks"

* "It's like trust means something different when you don't feel in control"

* "Praying 'Thy will be done' means you don't believe in chance"

* "Some people maliciously leech off the needs of the have-nots for their own purposes. THey manipulate the guilt of the haves believably enough and get whatever they want"


What I've read so far just really puts my life and what the church is doing/not doing into perspective. I'm reminded of the Chicago trip and talking to the homeless people. We experienced life with them and tried to understand where they were coming from. I still remember the poem Steve(Joe the German) read to us that was written by a homeless man. He said about looking into his eyes and seeing him. These two guys were those eyes. They saw what that homeless man sees everyday. I also read about this guy Trevor that Mike(the author)met in a shelter: "Trevor had accepted Christ the day he entered the mission. 'My life was useless...I had no hope, and before I came here I'd been thinking a lot about suicide. I finally decided one day that things needed to change. The only One strong enough to do that is Christ" I find that so incredible. God can take a man with nothing, no purpose, and completely take over His life! This is like us when we were sinners. We had completely nothing. We weren't living with a purpose. God took our lives, saved us from eternal separation, and continues to shape it everyday.

It is kind of disappointing that the church does not do more show love to this broken world. I find myself not showing enough love and compassion for some of the people in my school let alone the homeless people in our community and nation. But the church as a whole, as the Body of Christ, is not showing the world what it means to be like Christ. What kind of message are we portraying? I remember the conversation Dallas and I had with Eric, the homeless guy we met in Chicago. He said he believed in God and tried to stay strong in his faith, but he was afraid to go or even get involved in a church because he didn't want to be judged. He said he went to a church one time and people stared at him and nobody talked to him. It doesn't matter if someone is homeless or just a visitor- if the Body of Christ can't accept people and show them love, how are they going to know who Christ is? If they are ignored or judged, why would they decide to become a follower of Christ? What's the message the church SHOULD be sending?

Just some thoughts. If you ever get a chance, PLEASE read this book. Even if you haven't experienced being a big city and seeing homelessness, this book will completely change your perspective. It will even make you view what we can do as a church in a totally different way.

Keep shining for Him! <><