I am one of those in northwest Arkansas that saw first-hand what Mark is talking about above. I would encourage the author to be as compassionate with those who want to do something like a campout. These are well-intentioned, though perhaps sometimes misguided, people who are floundering around looking for a way to do the right thing. If anyone can get hold of the organizer before the event takes place, you may have a chance for a really teachable moment. And in reality, what kind of awareness-raising event could ever be held that would truly replicate a homeless experience? Nothing. For example, if someone showed a documentary, he or she could be criticized because a film can't replicate the experience, and the audience is sitting in a comfy environment with plenty of food and shelter. So what do we do? We do the best we can with whatever resources each of us has that we can bring to the problem.   

There are many kinds of fund raisers, and awareness raisers, on concerning homelessness.  And some are more effective than others.   I have been to sleep-outs on university campuses, and have witnessed other people as they experienced the "urban plunge."   As well, I have experienced 13 years worth of my own homelessness.

Homelessness is not so much about location or material possession, as it is about situation.   There are many different locations, a person can be homeless, along with different material possessions - on a cardboard box in an alley, in a tent under a bridge, in a homeless shelter, on a couch in a friends apartment, in a van or car parked on the side of a residential street, in jail, etc. But the one common situation for all homeless people is that the person has no legal right, or financial means, to access housing under their own volition.

There are homeless people who get to eat pizza, there are homeless people who watch dvds on tv's, access the internet via computers, sleep in comfortable sleeping bags, have access to electricity, and running water, and indoor plumbing, heat and airconditioning, and on occasion they even dance.  

So, what these people do in their "sleep-outs" may not be so removed from what homeless people experience, at least to the extent of location and material possession.  But the real decisive marker of homelessness, that of the situation, is something that just cannot be duplicated experimentally.  Of course, making the particpants of a sleep-out aware of this distinction is vital to a successful event, but I think most people get that anyway.

I did one of these in college and it was such a dissapointing experience. We all left feeling like spoiled brats and we wished we'd just given money directly to an organization and slept in our dorm rooms. There has to be a better fundraiser out there.

There truly isn't a way that a group of well-meaning middle-class folks can experience homelessness by spending a night on the streets. Even if they forego pizza and a rock band, they'll still, as you say, be in a controlled environment-as well they should be. But the most important thing is that they know they'll go home in the morning-or sooner if they want to.

I feel the same way about "food stamp challenges." Even if people actually purchase only what their food stamp allotment would cover, they know all the time that they'll be able to eat whatever they want as soon as the week is over. Or they can "cheat" or give up on the challenge altogether.

Putting up with discomfort or deprivation for set period of time that one can end at will has  nothing to do with the experience of homeless or poverty. And any sense of solidarity it creates is phony.

It is utterly RIDICULOUS! The marketing person was worried about there not being enough PIZZAs to go around? Egads!

I admire the 'true' organizations whose only purpose is to educate the masses and help our homeless society get shelter, food and health care, but I despise these false little 'acts of altruism' when in fact they are actually contributing to the problem, by thinking '1 evening of camping out' is comparable to people suffering YEARS of fear, hunger, cold, sickness and hopelessness.

Also, if a person cannot give money, why not donate time in a shelter (and not just on the holidays - that too annoys me - 'Collecting for Thanksgiving, Christmas' while the rest of the year, these unfortunate souls do without); write your local legislators, congressmen, senators to do something for these people?  Get petitions and write to 'big-business' corporations like Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, etc. to donate materials and help these people build a home (similar to what Brad Pitt did with design students fashioning small homes for the homeless after Katrina). Architects, Plumbers, Electricians donate your time to teaching these people to build these homes (and bring your children to help you while you donate your time).  This would be a much better way of 'giving to charity' than just writing a check or camping out!

There are so many wonderful things we can do if we all join together and actually DO IT!

You could also mentor young homeless people, take in someone until they can get on their feet.  I took in a young 18 yo who'd left home with not even identification.  It took 4 months of couchsurfing, and getting his birth certificate in the mail, a bank account started, enrolment to vote, some photo ID all of which needed a fixed address.  In that time he was also offered an apprenticeship in a local restaurant, after which he moved into a caravan park nearby where he is diligently saving money.  His life is only beginning.  It's a success story, he was keen.  It happens.

I couldn't agree with you more. Further, I'd be concerned about exactly where those "funds" are going, too. If cash raised by playing homeless AT ALL goes to paying someone else's rent/mortgage or INSTEAD of MOSTLY manifestly helping specific homeless folks, then this kind of thing is hardly more than like a housed person with resources that dresses up in tatters and goes begging on the pretense of being homeless.

And there ARE people that do that, too.

Having a "Sleep Out for the Homeless" would seem to be a great way to raise awareness of the homeless population, but it becomes rather disingenuous if one refuses to acknowledge the homeless in the area. This type of disconnect is what's wrong with the policy making in Washington, from health care, to fair wages, to educational opportunities, to civil rights, to crime...the list is endless. To really understand the homeless, one has to be willing to 'get their hands dirty', to experience that life, to have genuine empathy, not just philanthropic desires. Empathy comes from compassion, and compassion comes from a general undrestanding and concern for others. Some people can get that without actually being on the streets, but if you really want to raise awareness, then being on the streets can have a tremendous impact, and I think much more can be accomplished.

(Feel free to remove my prior comment.  My formatting got interpretted as html code and trashed it up a bit.)

You raise some great points, some of which I struggled with as we neared the Cobblestone Project's 1,287 event (www.cobblestoneproject.org/Initiatives/1287.aspx) a couple short months ago down in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

I thought to myself, "If we really want to do something that helps the estimated 1,287 houseless folk in Northwest Arkansas then why don't us ‘with houses' give them a meal, shower, and bed for one night rather than hundreds of us camping out on a University lawn?"  Then I thought maybe that would be a good idea for another time.  Maybe this time I just needed to learn.  I knew some of the guys organizing this thing and I knew their hearts were pure.  They are not "some timers" but true "people lovers" who daily give their time, talent, and resources to loving on God's children who need to be loved on.  So maybe this time was about introducing and engaging people like me who've been unaware or ignoring the invisible persons that are all around us -if we only care to notice and notice to care.

Ironically, I didn't get to physically attend 1,287.  My daughter had an important event that night and, after much prayer and reflection, God made it clear to me that this night needed to be about her.  (I know I made the right decision.)  The amazing thing is that I actually got to "attend" the event.  Albeit it was later that night and many hours and days afterward.  1,287 and some other ministries I'm involved with prompted me to finally succumb to the online social networking craze and signup for twitter and facebook.  Later that evening, after my girls went to bed, I engaged with what my buddies were experiencing on the University of Arkansas lawn.  For many days after, through tweets and posts, blogs and videos, I've been learning more and more how to engage and love.  To love on persons that don't get all the loving that God expects us to be giving to our forgotten and unnoticed brothers and sisters.

So while I understand and agree with many of your concerns I also now have a clear understanding of how much a well thought out and well purposed event like 1,287 can affect change.  God used an event like 1,287, good caring people at www.cobblestoneproject.org and www.worldgardensalads.com, a guy I've never met named Mark Horvath (http://invisiblepeople.tv/blog/), and former invisible-to-me persons like Paul, Robert, Daniel, Tommy, Ben, Larry, Eric, and Deena to wake me up and change me forever.

I hope you don't mind such a long post, but I wanted to attach my new friend Paul's story below.  All my new friends are special to me but Paul is particularly special because Paul was my first new friend I learned how to notice and engage with after a little "Worst Fundraiser Ever" event down in Fayetteville.

From: Brad E. Melton
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 3:54 AM
To: Scott Page; Michael Rush
Subject: Meet my friend Paul

Scott & Mike,

I guess you could say 1287 lit me up!  Hope I don't burn out.

Paul: A short story about Paul -my new friend.  Written by me -Paul's new friend.

Note: Please forgive my generous use of Paul's name in this short story.  I'm gonna use it a lot.  I figured Paul had been a "he" and a "him" more than enough in his life.  I want to always remember my new friend as the person he is -Paul.

*The Dilemma*

I saw him on the east side of the road as I was travelling north on 540.  In the left lane, 70 mph in heavy traffic, I started talking to myself, "Too late.  I can't pull over in this mess.  I don't always have to stop for strangers.  Even if I stopped, by the time it takes me to get in the right lane and pull over I'll be a quarter mile down the road."

I kept driving.  Thinking about him.  Thinking about what I was doing before I saw him.  Ironically, I was going over my "Give ‘em Five" idea I believe God gave me a year or so ago.  It kept coming back to me ever since 1287 and reading and watching all the blogs, YouTube, USTREAM and vimeo videos, twitter tweets, and facebook chatter.  Watching and reading, reading and watching.  It's about all I've been doing each night since the big event.

I didn't get to go to 1287.  I wanted to.  But I had a more important event to attend that night.  More important to me and my family, that is.  Sarah had been in Fellowship Bible's Kids Kamp all week and this night was the night of their big production.  As much as I wanted to be in Fayetteville with my friends, hearing Mark Horvath speak, and "camping out" on the UofA Mall, I knew this night needed to be about my little Sarah.  I know I made the right choice.

*Give ‘em Five!*

"Give ‘em Five" is still an unfulfilled concept.  I still have my notes in the truck -faded and stained.  It is an idea that hasn't yet made it to action.  You see, a year or so ago I thought God gave me the idea to do something a little more for the street beggar.  You know the ones.  You see them at busy intersections and off ramps during daily rush hours from time to time.  One day, after handing someone a few bucks and stating the token, "God bless", this idea got into my head.  It has remained there ever since but jumps out once in awhile to remind me I should do something about it.  The idea is this:

"What if I kept a stash of five-dollar bills in my truck?  And, what if, instead of just giving out the ‘fivers' when I see a need, the five bucks would be just one of five things I gave away?  What if I printed a card with these five things to remind me what to do and say?  What if I made envelopes that would contain these five things?"  I pulled over and began taking notes:

GIVE ‘EM FIVE

1. GIVE THEM RESPECT. Stop what I'm doing. Greet them. Look them in the eye, smile, and shake their hand. Give them my attention. Ask them their name, their story. Adjust my thinking. Don't give them a title -poor, beggar, vagrant, homeless, underprivileged, unfortunate. Know them by name! Remember they are just like me -but for the grace of God go I.

2. GIVE THEM IMMEDIACY. Give them a five-dollar bill. Not too big. Not too small. Enough to get them lunch. Enough to get them some gas. Enough to show them I care. Don't worry about what they're gonna do with it. That's between them and God. I am to do my part. They are to do theirs.

3. GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY. Direct them to local places for help -Food banks, councilors, shelters, etc.

4. GIVE THEM HOPE. Stop hoarding and hiding Jesus. Tell them about Jesus. Show them Jesus. Be their Jesus.

5. GIVE THEM A PRAYER. On the spot with them or on my own afterward. Better yet, do both. Ask God to protect them, guide them, love them, provide for them, and bless them as He has just blessed me through them.

Well, it's been over a year since I took those notes.  In my truck I have no printed cards, no printed envelopes, and no stash of five-dollar bills.  Just the notes.  What happened to me?  Got busy I guess.

*His Name is Paul*

His name is Paul.  How do I know?  I know because I knew this was my time.  My time to act.  My time to put up or shut up.  If not now, then when?  If not me, then who?  I know because when I drove another mile to the nearest exit I took it.  I turned around, drove a mile back and saw Paul walking down the road, passed Paul, drove another mile to that exit, turned around, drove a mile back, hit my flashers, and pulled over.

The whole time driving back to meet Paul I kept thinking about what I was going to say, what I was going to do,  what I was going to offer him.  I thought about what was in my truck that I might give him.  No food, just a bag of sunflower seeds.  No water or other drink.  Some old boots, tennis shoes, shirts, shorts, and tools.  "There's that old ‘Promise Keepers' windbreaker that I never wear.  Maybe someone could finally put it to good use!"

Then it hit me, "Cash!  How much cash do I have?"  I dug in my pocket, pulled out my money clip, and gazed upon two one-dollar bills.  "Damn!  I don't even have a fiver!"

Paul is tall and skinny, scraggly looking, with a dark tan.  The stereotypical old-dude hitch-hiker, except with a big friendly smile.  Paul carries a big backpack with various stuff tied and hanging from it.  Old jeans, a black t-shirt, ball cap, and hiking boots are Paul's ensemble.  When Paul got to my window, I told him to throw his pack in the back and come on in.

I said, "Hello, my name is Brad."  Paul said, "Hello, my name is Paul."  We shook hands.  We smiled.  We drove on down the road.

I asked, "Where are ya going?"  Paul said, "South Dakota."

"What's in South Dakota?"  "Family."  Paul went on to explain that he had a sister, brothers, and mother in South Dakota.

I asked Paul where he came from and what he was doing on the road.

"Seeing the sites."  With some more prompting, Paul told me he had been travelling from Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.

We talked about some of the places we had both visited.  I mentioned Colorado.  We both agreed it was a very beautiful state.

I asked Paul if he was hungry.  Paul said, "Yes."  I said, "I'm buying you dinner tonight."  After I listed some options, Paul decided on Walmart.  I'm glad he did, for I had other plans.

*I Like Ramen Noodles*

Driving toward Walmart, I looked up at the sky and said, "Looks like rain may be coming our way.  You got a rain jacket?"  Paul said, "No."

"How about we pick you up a rain jacket when we get to Walmart?"  Paul said, "Ok."

"How about a tent?  You got a tent?"  "Yes," Paul said.  "But it's got some holes in it."

As we pulled into Walmart I asked Paul if he could use some groceries for the road.  Paul said, "I like Ramen Noodles."  I said, "I like them sometimes too but I get sick of them if I eat them too much."  Paul said, "That's true of a lot of things."

After fetching a cart, I met Paul back in groceries where, sure enough, he had picked up a handful of Ramen Noodle bags.  I said, "Surely you could use something more than that."  I understood that Paul didn't want to carry a lot of weight but I also sensed his purchasing decisions were based on him not feeling comfortable to ask.  So, I kept prompting Paul for things he might need.

"How about that big bottle of Gatorade?  Wow, it's just a buck!"  Paul said, "Yeah, that is a good price!"  Paul put one in the cart.

Then Paul went for the strawberry Pop-Tarts.  I proceeded to tell Paul what I thought was an interesting story about during times of natural disasters (hurricanes, floods, etc.) that strawberry Pop-Tarts become Walmart's most requested item.  Paul didn't seem too impressed with my story.  Although, Paul did suggest that Pop-Tarts are a good choice for "camping" because the foil wrapping keeps them fresh.

Some beef sausage was the only other grocery item Paul would pick up so I stopped prompting on the groceries and switched our attention to another merchandise area.  "How are you doing on clothes?  Need some shorts or shirts?"  "Nope," Paul said.

"I see you got some good hiking boots.  How about some lighter shoes to wear around camp?"  "Naw, I don't like them," said Paul.

Then it hit me.  Something I heard Mark Horvath say in more than one of his video dialogs about particular items that every homeless person needs.

"How about socks?  Could you use some socks?"  "Yeah, I could use some more socks!"  (I noted the smile on his face when he said this - Thanks Mark!)  We picked out a bag of seven tube socks.  I wanted to buy Paul more but these were all Paul thought he could carry.

We proceeded over to sporting goods where Paul picked out his replacement tent.  "This one's a little bigger than mine," said Paul.  (Yeah, and no holes.)  Then we went looking for a rain jacket.  We found some nice ones but Paul settled on a cheaper and more compact rain suit.

I kept trying to put myself in Paul's shoes.  Think about stuff I would need if I were living on the road, out of a tent.

"Me and the wife keep wet wipes in the car," I said.  "They're good for cleaning up and they sure make you feel refreshed when you wipe your face."  We got the wet wipes, and batteries, and hand sanitizer, BC Powder, body wash, and insect repellant.

Somewhere throughout our shopping adventure I decided, rather than buy Paul dinner and head home, I was gonna have dinner with Paul.  I asked Paul, "You hungry yet?"  Paul said, "Let's get our chicken!"

We proceeded to the deli section where Paul picked out a half pound of BBQ chicken and potato salad.  I chose the sweet & spicy General Tso's chicken and talked Paul into getting some fried okra.

Just like when we first entered the store, Paul seemed to start getting a little timid about asking for too much food.  However, after I talked Paul into the okra, I heard Paul ask, "When did y'all start selling that fish?"  We picked up a half pound of catfish, a couple of drinks, and headed for the checkout.

After checking out, I stopped off at the ATM.  (Remember the two bucks in my pocket?)  I gave Paul a $20 and told him I hoped this would help him down the road.

*Spending Other People's Money*

Have you ever had the pleasure of helping someone spend their money?  For example, I've been in a technology career for almost 20 years and I was a computer and electronics geek long before I started my career.  Some of my friends and family aren't so technology or electronics savvy.  So, sometimes I get asked questions and sometimes I get asked to make purchases for them.

I have to confess there is a certain "fun" aspect to buying stuff for other people.  I get the joy of browsing and buying cool stuff without spending a dime of my own money!  Even though I may not get to enjoy the item there is still something strangely fun about going through the process.

Over the past few years, I believe God has been teaching me that one of the blessings received from cheerful giving is the fun I get to experience while spending someone else's money.  You see, once I get in the mindset that everything I have is God's and I'm not the owner, but simply a steward of His stuff, then giving it away feels like I'm spending someone else's money for them.  I get to "help" in the decisions about where His stuff goes.  A new tool or piece of lawn equipment for the school?  Cool!  I get to go research and pick out the best fit!  Some cash for a family struggling through hard times?  Sweet!  I get to be the guy who delivers some relief!  When I'm in this proper mindset of who is the owner and who is the steward of all this stuff then giving it away becomes one of the most enjoyable things I can do with it.

*Dinner and Conversation*

Paul and I parked the truck facing some magnificent storm clouds rolling in.  After I asked our Lord to bless the food, we dug in to the feast.

I asked Paul if he attended church anywhere.  He said he attended, St. Paul's back home.  I asked him if he had a bible and he said, "Yup, it's one of the books I carry with me."  We had some good conversation over dinner about family, churches, and which bible translations we like best.  Paul is partial to the New King James Bible.  I mentioned I like the NIV.  Paul said, "Oh, that's a good one.  Easy to read."  We both agreed that the original King James translation was a challenging read.

After my first bite of spicy chicken, I reached to open the cap on my bottle of water.  Then I stopped and put the bottle down.  This time, this simple, straightforward mealtime act didn't seem so simple and straightforward.  I decided Paul needed my bottle of water more than I did and gave it to him after dinner.  I sure wish the thought of doing this had entered my mind back before I decided to purchase the spicy chicken for my dinner!

*Goodbye and a Prayer*

After dinner it began to rain.  I asked Paul if he still was going to travel north tonight.  Paul said, "No, it's getting late.  I think my map showed a river not far from here.  I think I'll pitch my new tent there."

I drove Paul a short distance north and pulled off near an overpass.  Paul jumped out to survey the spot.  "This looks great!  I can pitch camp right under that bridge."

I told Paul he could leave his old tent with me and I'd throw it away for him.  As Paul gathered up his new belongings, I wrote down my name and cell phone number.  "Here," I said, "Give me a call if you're ever passing through and have a need."

We shook hands, said our goodbyes, and I watched Paul walk away in the rain, through the brush, toward his new home for the night under the highway.

I drove a short distance down the road.  Before pulling onto the highway I stopped the truck.  "Dear Father, please take care of Paul tonight and every night.  Please place your hedge of protection around him.  And, if I don't get to see Paul again in this world, please let me see his smiling face in heaven.  Amen."

*The Tally*

I figured up what this evening with Paul cost me.  $95 at Walmart and $20 cash.  Maybe a buck or two in gas from all the extra driving.  Two hours of my time.

116 bucks and my time.  What else could I have done better with these particular resources I've been entrusted to manage?  Tonight, I can't think of a thing.

116 bucks and my time.  Was it worth it?  For Paul, I think he would say, "yes."  For me, I'd say, "definitely!"

116 bucks and my time.  The reality is that this night cost me something much more valuable than these.  It cost me my "self".

*Where is Paul?*

Where is Paul now?  Paul is sleeping under a bridge tonight, alone, in the rain, not far from the headquarters of world's largest peddler of stuff -stuff that most of us have too much of and stuff that people like Paul have much too little of.  I'll be sleeping in my bed, in my house, with my family, and driving to work for Walmart in the morning.

God bless you Paul.  Stay warm.  Stay cool.  Stay dry.  Stay safe.  And always, stay in my mind so I never forget.

Brad Melton, this blog post was written especially for you: http://homelessness.change.org/blog/view/evangelizing_to_the_homeless

I liked your "Evangelizing to the Homeless" article.  However, it seems to be commenting on some kind of "abuse of power" by certain religious organizations in how they attempt to help people.  Not sure what that had to do with my post but I appreciate the info.  Any organization that does what you said is definitiely in the wrong.  I'll take your reply as a warning for me to be careful to never do that.  In the meantime, I'll do my best to keep engaging and loving on others in the way I understand my God wants me to love them.

Yes Dominic, the only thing I remember Jesus saying was "Get up and walk"  Nothing more, nothing less.

AMEN Dominic ... AMEN - preaching to the homeless on their assumed lost spirituality due to their unfortunate  circumstances is an insult.

A Buddhist quote comes to mind:

" ... be near when help is needed, but far when praise and thanks are being offered."

When people describe 'all the good they've done and the charity they have bestowed upon others' - I usually run like mad to get away from them.

I know we may have differences in theology, but don’t we ALL really want the same thing…to end homelessness?!  I hope we can rise above our own differences to help those who really need it, rather than debate the best ways to help.  If someone is helped with people camping out….GREAT!  If someone is helped with a one on one dinner….even better!  I have amazing respect for anyone willing to take time to bless someone else with their time and resources.  Really, the blessing is ours to have…no matter what your theological beliefs.  Let’s take this energy (posted here) and make a difference in our own communities.  We all want the same thing!       

Dominic: I agree that forcing the poor and homeless to hear or accept a religious message in order to receive food or other help is just wrong. The Bible instructs Christians to feed the poor, clothe the naked, and house the homeless. It also tell us to share Christ.  But it doesn't say feed, clothe and house people only after you've shared Christ and if they accept the message.

Nothing in Brad's story leads me to believe that his assistance to Paul was contingent upon Paul hearing or accepting a religious message. The conversation about church came up after the shopping trip. People tend to talk about what's important to them. Christians talk about God in conversation. That's not abusive, it's just natural. And Brad was led by God to help Paul, so God was definitely on Brad's mind. Sounds to me like the conversation just evolved. And I can't imagine that Brad would have taken all the purchases back to the store if Paul had been indifferent or hostile to Brad's question about church.

Oceania: You commented:

"Yes Dominic, the only thing I remember Jesus saying was 'Get up and walk' Nothing more, nothing less."

You're not remembering all of the story, which appears in three of the four Gospels.  There is definitely more. Jesus made it abundantly clear that the physical healing of the paralytic was not the main thing:

=====

Luke 5:17-26

One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."

=====

Note that the healing was preceded by a religious message. From the Lord Himself. ;)

It is passages like this (and there are many more) that tell followers of Christ that we are to keep the main thing the main thing, and the main thing is Jesus. The Word tells us we are to feed people's bodies, but it also tells us we are to offer them the Bread of Life -- and that's by far the most important, loving, caring thing we can do for anyone. There's a loving, compassionate, no-strings-attached way to do that, and there are some not-so-great, potentially damaging ways to do it. Christians should choose wisely, depending on God for guidance.  Thanks for the reminder, Dominic.  :)

There is an odd phenomenon which occures with the inordinant amount of proselytizing homeless people receive from fundamentalist Christians.  Some homeless people learn that if they mimic the act of the proseltizin, gthey will mostly likely benefit from it, usually financially and materially, from the proselytizers.  There is a reward for joining their "club."   And so, you will find many homeless people in constant preach mode.

The original error in all this is the assumption that because a person is homeless, somehow that person has fallen out of grace with God and the comos, and the additional asumption, that proselytizing will cure this problem.

Of course facts prove otherwise.  Christianity, as offered up by fundamentalists, is the least effective way of rescuing a person from homelessness.   No, I don't have data to back that up, only my many years of observation.

I'm with you on that one Kevin.  Michele, I don't have Gospel perfect knowledge, but I do know there are 3 versions of this event.  What I take away from it is that the idea of "your sins are forgiven" is aimed at us.  Who is going to help anyone if they assume this person is a sinner?  The "get up and walk" is the practical side of that.  Lastly, the concept of spreading the word of "love your God" is also to be taken literally.  YOUR God, not mine, not the CEO of Exxon.  Help must be uncontiditonal if it's going to be at all effective.

*unconditional*  I bet you know what I mean anyway.

Anyway, the picture at the top of this page sure makes me hungry.

Praise be to the almight god of pizza, and the Italians that introduced us to it.  All part of God.

There is a time to talk to the homeless about GOD however there is a time to just feed them, most people can not see the differece. Being homeless at this time, and after spending time living in and attending a church (at least 8 years), I have found that most of the time it is best to feed a homeless person a few times before talking to them about god.

Feed them anyway, no strings.  Depression amongst teenagers especially at this time is through the roof.  The only thing I can tell them is that everyone here right now is NEEDED here right now.  Keep it simple, keep it truth, everyone has something to offer.

I am reminded of a time many years ago when I worked for the recreation program at a major state university in a large city. A downtown business group organized a 10k to raise funds for charity. Afterwards, they called me and said they had a lot of t-shirts left over and wondered if they could give them to us to pass out to our students (there were about 33,000 at that campus). We had very little storage so I suggested they take the shirts to the local mission and homeless shelters. They said that they didn't want their shirts - printed with the logos of all their sponsors - appearing all over town on the street people so if we didn't take them, they'd just take them to the dump.

So, I took the shirts. We ended up with about 6 boxes about the size of dishwasher boxes full of t-shirts - literally hundreds. Staff took stacks, our students took stacks, we couldn't give them away (they weren't that attractive and they were a blend so not that comfortable). My kids had sleep shirts for years.

After a few months, I loaded up my car and took the remainder down to the mission and local homeless shelters.

Our local high school held a "Fast for Famine" event,

at which the kids spend on foodless night in the gym.

They listened to a speaker, watched a few videos,

raised a few bucks, had a great time,

and ended with a huge banquet meal.

Pretty lame, I figured.

Didn't come close to the experience of real hunger.

But...

for many of these kids it was the first time in their lives

they even considered the fact of global hunger,

the first time they truly appreciated a meal,

the first time they tried to put themselves in another's shoes.

And those are good things.

I believe that the long-term benefits are incalculable.

Let's be careful about criticizing those who care,

those who are trying to help.

Sure, show them more effective methods

and educate them about safety, dignity, and all the rest.

But throwing stones from the sidelines is just wrong.

Well, as long as we're throwing around quotable quotes, from the Bible or elsewhere, here's another clever one, by the beautiful Arundhati Roy: you can't expect to change the world by marching around the block every other weekend. Or something like that. Or how about this one: the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

The activity just romanticizes the issue of homelessness even more when there's absolutely NOTHING romantic about the idea of poverty and squalor and powerlesness that homeless people face.

Well, as long as we're throwing around quotable quotes, from the Bible or elsewhere, here's another clever one, by the beautiful Arundhati Roy: you can't expect to change the world by marching around the block every other weekend. Or something like that. Or how about this one: the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

The activity just romanticizes the issue of homelessness even more when there's absolutely NOTHING romantic about the idea of poverty and squalor and powerlesness that homeless people face.

This is too typical - these are the most ignorant ideas. If these kids really want to experience homelessnes, they should've eaten out of the garbage, been pissed on by an out of towner who thinks it's funny, arrested and crowded into a small cell.

Instead, they basically did the equivalent of "slumming", plus they took the 'homes' of the homeless.

They could've, if they weren't bigots, embraced the real homeless, talked with them, and shared food with them. Instead, they just basically did what the rest of society does, and abused the homeless.

They don't care - it was a social event.

These people participating in these "sleep-outs" should be dispersed in groups of 2s and 3s in without cellphones, money or candy bars for a full 24 hour time periods with some instruction on dumpster-diving and begging.

Being without shelter is either
A. Living in the street or
B. Being homeless

When I was doing it the crowd I hung with would have laughed and threw things at you if you called us Homeless. We were Street People and proud of it. Hustling a meal and a place to lay down was a point of pride. Unfortunately, it could have (but didn't) start off a spiral into addiction and true degradation. For those who fell down that hole we called them junkies and alkies. They chose that path.

For those evicted from home or kicked out without a friend/family member to help them we can call them "homeless." If they have a place to crash - a couch or cot with friends/family means they have a home - they aren't homeless.

I would like to inform you that not all sleep-outs for the homeless are like this. I help with the Little Red Wagon Foundation to do their 24 hour project, which is a homeless sleep-out. While we do get food delivered, we do this so teenagers don't leave. We understand that this isn't very "homeless" of us, but to help spread sometimes you must give into the demands. We try very hard to stimulate the feeling of being homeless, while still enjoying yourself. I do not want your mind to be set that all homeless sleep-outs are negative and not informational. The Little Red Wagon Foundation is run by a just-turned twelve-year old kid who is educated on the topic and will do anything to share with. At the 24-hour project we take away electronics, sleep in the back of a parking lot, and try to get speakers who have been previously homeless, or have worked with the homeless. I truly hope your mind is not set on sleep-outs being a negative thing, because we do try to make a difference.