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Let This Homeless Survivor Teach You 6 Powerful Lessons

4. New Jersey is a divided state.

I live in one of the most economically divided states in the country. We have campuses that are in communities amongst some of the wealthiest in the country and at the same time poverty is at a 52 year high in my home state. [ref] Over that last five years, the poor have gotten poorer while the rich have continued to reach new heights. 

How does our church respond to an increasingly economically divided community?

5. Homelessness = violence.

Some of the stories that David told about life on the streets included horrific violence … people being set on fire, being slashed with box cutters, battery acid being splashed on people, being shot … but what was more unnerving was he spoke about this violence in a matter of fact manner. Violence is a constant companion to people living on the streets. 

What is it about our culture that lashes out in violence toward some of the weakest amongst us?

6. I am clueless about poverty.

I’ve never considered myself to have any level of significant understanding when it comes to poverty in our country, but after spending this time with David, I felt profoundly stupid when it comes to this issue. 

How am I called to respond to poverty that is within the reach of my family?