The Road to Homelessness
I often hear the question, ‘Why are these people homeless.’ If you’ve ever been homeless, ever worked with the homeless, or have homeless friends, you know the answers can be as diverse as people are unusual. Homelessness comes in different colors, to assorted economic groups, under a variety of everyday circumstances. For sure, the road to homelessness is always lonely, most often frightening, and can come up on you with lightening speed. I know; I was homeless once. And it looks like I could be homeless again in a few short days.
For the past five years, my wife and I (and our dogs) have lived in our own home. We’ve done what we can to care for and keep up our home, we’ve always paid our bills (mostly on time), and we’ve governed our lives by Christian values, trying to think of others first.
Last night, I received a call from our mortgage holder. She politely reminded that my July house payment was past due (by two weeks), and calmly asked if I’d made arrangements to pay off our mortgage by August 1st. I had no idea what she was talking about, but apparently, our five year-old mortgage ballooned in five years. “Surely, you must have gotten a notice.” The only notice I received on my adjustable rate mortgage in five years (as interest, T-bills, etc. dropped) was a notice two months ago that my monthly payment had increased by $200.
I have no idea what is going on. I don’t know the mortgage or banking industry, any more than I know how to wrench my own car. I like bankers about as much as I like dentists, and I’m too old for this. I have no idea if somebody will show up at my house on Tuesday, August 1st, with new locks for the doors.
I don’t drink, or I’d be drunk. I don’t do drugs, so I have no idea where to get any. I’ve worked with the homeless for over ten years, so I’m not worried about a place to live; but, I worry about my wife, our dogs, and the road we’ll be traveling down the next few days. I hope that road isn’t a road to homelessness. And I hope that light at the end of the tunnel isn’t a train!
I hope I never give up hope. Friends, please remember us in your prayers.
For the past five years, my wife and I (and our dogs) have lived in our own home. We’ve done what we can to care for and keep up our home, we’ve always paid our bills (mostly on time), and we’ve governed our lives by Christian values, trying to think of others first.
Last night, I received a call from our mortgage holder. She politely reminded that my July house payment was past due (by two weeks), and calmly asked if I’d made arrangements to pay off our mortgage by August 1st. I had no idea what she was talking about, but apparently, our five year-old mortgage ballooned in five years. “Surely, you must have gotten a notice.” The only notice I received on my adjustable rate mortgage in five years (as interest, T-bills, etc. dropped) was a notice two months ago that my monthly payment had increased by $200.
I have no idea what is going on. I don’t know the mortgage or banking industry, any more than I know how to wrench my own car. I like bankers about as much as I like dentists, and I’m too old for this. I have no idea if somebody will show up at my house on Tuesday, August 1st, with new locks for the doors.
I don’t drink, or I’d be drunk. I don’t do drugs, so I have no idea where to get any. I’ve worked with the homeless for over ten years, so I’m not worried about a place to live; but, I worry about my wife, our dogs, and the road we’ll be traveling down the next few days. I hope that road isn’t a road to homelessness. And I hope that light at the end of the tunnel isn’t a train!
I hope I never give up hope. Friends, please remember us in your prayers.
posted by Kelly at 1:00 PM
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