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Thursday, September 24, 2009

The Homeless have a Name, His Name is Ray

By
Mark Horvath

Ray is intelligent, articulate and lives in a tent. He walks miles each day for food and water. His government assistance check is not enough to cover housing, never mind his other costs of living. He struggles everyday to stay safe and survive these deplorable and unsanitary living conditions.

If you think this sounds like a third-world country, you’re not too far off. During my two days visiting Sacramento’s infamous tent cities I could not shake the feeling that I had somehow transported to Kenya or Southern Sudan, where people walk for days just to get water and the living conditions are paltry. It boggles my mind that people are forced to live like this in the richest country in the world.

I still cannot shake the feeling that what I experienced in Sacramento is the future of America’s middleclass. That said, may we never accept tent cities as “normal.” There is nothing normal about the lives Ray and countless others are being forced to live.
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Please take a moment to donate online for this week’s StreetReach to homeless living under the bridges and in the alleyways of downtown Los Angeles. There is a need for a water sponsor, $20 - a food sponsor, $125 and sponsors are needed for van insurance $50 and upkeep $300. God bless you for your compassion and help for the Homeless In America.
Kindness in increments of $10 at - http://www.servantsofthefather.org/donation_homeless

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That is a powerful story. Thanks, Patricia