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Why do people do what they do? Today was Easter, and somebody asked me if I believed in the living Christ who died on the cross for our sins. There are a lot of evangelicals out collecting souls. The question is simple enough, but the answer is pretty complex when you think about it. I […]

Let’s just break it down to the simplest parts. It starts with identifying the immediate needs of the people. We need to recognize that getting out of the tunnel is not going to happen if the person is not sober. If they need alcohol/drug dependency treatment, then that’s where we start. That treatment includes detox

There was a time, not so long ago, when this would have been alarming. I submit that this should not be considered a “new norm.” It should be considered, now, as it has always been: abnormal. The truth is, the “normalcy” of this scene is just a term we give to things we previously didn’t

It happens all too often. Just when things start looking up, they disappear. Non-Raiderfan John was thrilled to have a shiny new ID card in his hand, and the next step was updating his insurance to apply for “food stamps” before the trial to have his disability reinstated. The paperwork arrived. I went to his

It was more than I’d bargained for. A quick walk turned into a hike, and a lonely stroll turned into a tour of one man’s art gallery, followed by a bizarre labyrinth of graffiti and concrete ruins.I’d noticed a dirt road leading off to the west behind a church and into the desert. Just a

I managed to find Non-Raiderfan John on my first trip out since the embolisms. I had a rough idea of where he spent his nights and with the help of a few alley-dwellers nearby, I walked right into his “front yard.” He was happy to see me for two reasons: first, I came back—most people

Lying in bed tonight after five nights in two hospitals, I’m really wishing someone had submitted their story for this week’s newsletter. Instead, you get mine. Tuesday afternoon, I went to meet Andrew and Mikayla to record their interview. I realized, as I began the trek, that I had been aiming to do the interview

The problem is that even the most comprehensive homeless services organizations only have limited space. I almost always start by offering a ride to one of the all-inclusive organizations, but oftentimes there are no beds available, and that sucks when you’re barely hanging onto the idea of recovery at all. Without question, the most common

“Keep the bar low,” I kept reminding myself. It’s been inspiring—this new territory on the east side. The homeless population is far lower than what I’m used to seeing. There were almost as many javelina as there were humans—good, Christian javelina, too! I had to walk for at least half a mile between human encounters,