This past week I found myself in the city of Eugene, Oregon, taking care of some personal business, when a chance encounter occurred, which truly brought the magnitude of our current situation front and center. We had lunch at an Arby’s restaurant and as we were leaving, I saw a lady standing on the sidewalk. She had two cloth bags with what appeared to be her clothes, hastily packed therein. She looked confused and this caught my notice.
In the city of Eugene, you will see countless homeless people, carrying signs and pan handling. For some it has become a way of life, but the lady I encountered was different. She was obviously brand new to the streets. I asked my wife, is she homeless? To which she replied, I think so. She was not asking for money from anyone. She was just standing there, scared, cold, and hungry. She knew the food and warmth were right there and she was desperately in need of both. But that was apparently as close as she could get. Continue reading “Facing the Homeless in America”