And Yet
The drive to DC on was pleasant that seasonably cold December night. I didn’t have to fight traffic, and the Christmas lights were a joy to see. I went there to take some winter clothes to the guys who stayed around New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. Five men were sitting in a small plaza beside […]
Look at My Collection
Gerald had a crack cocaine habit. It ruined his life and dumped him on the streets with only the clothes on his back. For over two years he struggled valiantly against his addiction until he finally beat it. He said the key to overcoming a crack addiction is to hate what it does to your […]
Linwood’s Smile
Every time I saw Linwood he was drunk. Most of the homeless people we serve through TOP on Sunday afternoons stay sober. They don’t want to put off the people who are serving them. Linwood didn’t care. He wasn’t obnoxious or threatening, but you could tell he felt no pain. On a chilly Sunday […]
The World in a Backpack
When you’re homeless, chances are you carry all of your worldly possessions in a backpack. If you’re lucky, you have a place to store or stash some extra things. All too often, everything you own gets stolen, ruined by foul weather, or thrown away by city or park employees. After over 37 years in ministry, […]
What It’s All About
The youth group from a Methodist Church in Forest, Virginia served about 50 homeless and low income people at Miller Park in Lynchburg. It was a beautiful afternoon. Little did I know it would become a day I’ll never forget. We served Bethany (name changed) almost every time we had done ministry. She was a […]
Fire Through My Fingers
It was one of those prayers that makes the earth shake and sends chills up your spine.
3 Things Homeless People Need to Break Free
Preview in new tab It’s not easy to “beat the street.” The road to a better life is full of obstacles and setbacks. I know dozens of people who have succeeded in moving out of the homeless life. They faced the same setbacks as others, but they never gave up. Lots of people throw up […]
White Socks, Shoes & Underwear
It was a beautiful, sunny day in 1988. Our dedicated group of TOP’s founders and I parked our van at a corner of Lafayette Square behind McKenna’s Wagon, the food truck for homeless people. The White House was across Pennsylvania Avenue from the park. When we started unloading bags of clothes, some of the people […]