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 […]