Homelessness as choice?

Of course my interest peaked, as I heard the “teaser” on television.  That channel’s investigative reporter had a startling headline story that Homelessness was Sometimes a Choice.  Being my cynical self, I could almost write the script on what the “big” story was about.  The reporter would be diligent to “uncover the truth,” and I knew it was unlikely that the truth would have revealed at all.  When a reporter seeks out someone who chooses to be homeless they must be careful to choose a person who has the mental capacity to make a sound decision.  The homeless are a vulnerable group and should be treated with respect and dignity. Anyone interviewing a homeless person should consider if the interviewee really understands the question.  Most importantly, does the interviewer understand their question?

 

After working at the Mission nine years, I don’t believe people make a choice to be homeless.  They are thrown into situations that force them into homelessness.  Loss of a job, divorce, domestic violence, loss of a home or any number of reasons that cause homelessness force the person into homelessness.  They learn to survive in their homeless state and then the choice is made to be homeless.  They really didn’t have a choice in the beginning.  There hasn’t been one homeless person I’ve interviewed that was sitting at home watching television and started thinking “I’m going to give up my job, my home, and my family, because I want to be homeless.”

 

Many homeless have low levels of motivation due to years of depression or mental illness.  They may be hiding from society because of anxiety from socializing with other people.  They may be hiding from the law.  Most of those I’ve talked to who tell me that are running from the law are paranoid.  Many of the homeless have been abused, neglected, or had a moment in their lives that something mental just broke.  I see many talking to themselves, even hitting themselves, or simply being by themselves in a world that has rejected them.    

 

There’s a man who I’ve seen walking the streets of Yuma.  Not once have I seen him at the Mission.  He’s very dirty.  His hair hasn’t been washed in months; maybe years.  His clothes are dirty and ragged.  His shoes are two sizes too big for him.  He’s usually deep in a conversation with some invisible person.  Recently, very early in the morning, I was entering a building for a meeting.  I had to climb up a flight of steep stairs.  As I turned the corner to climb up the stairs I noticed that he was sitting on the steps about ¾ of the way up in my direct path.  I hesitated for one a split second because I wasn’t sure what to do.  He looks fairly rugged.  I took the first step and he saw me.  I wondered if he felt the same way about me as I had when I first saw him because he quickly scrambled up the rest of the way.   I continued my flight up the stairs and heard him talking somewhere down the way.   He was crouched down behind the block wall by the entrance to the elevator.  I still hesitated because the man had not made eye contact and was talking rapidly now.  As I walked by him I kept an ever-watchful eye on him.  He was talking about spies, and subversive activities taking place somewhere in his mind.  He talked about government infiltration.    Was he a Veteran?  Did his family know where he was located?  Did he have any one who cared for him?

 

I also thought of the day that Jesus was getting out of the boat and a demon-possessed man approached him.  In Mark 5:1-9, we learn that this man lived in the tombs and cut himself with the stones.  He had been bound hand and foot but couldn’t even be held with chains.  Jesus was compassionate towards the man but unmerciful to the demons that possessed the man.  That man was homeless. 

 

I thought of the man on the stairway as the reporter would make her story line real to the listening audience.  Did she hurt our cause?  Does the average citizen really understand the homeless?   I believe that God intends for us to take care of those who can’t take care of themselves.  The majority of the homeless can’t take care of themselves just as the man in the tombs could not take care of himself during Jesus’ day.    

 

My message to the reporter:  get all the facts; you can call the Mission for information;  you can come visit the Mission and learn much about the homeless and the addicted.    I’m calling the reporter and inviting her to lunch.  Maybe she can get the big picture for her next story.