I’ve been homeless since March 9. I did everything “right,” paid my bills, worked every day, but a couple hundred thousand dollars in cancer bills and losing my job pushed me out to the streets.
I’ve been able to get a job since March 9, and generous friends helped me get into a motel until I got my first pay check. Where I live there is no public transportation, and it’s 25 miles to work. This weekend my pickup truck broke down–and my boss offered to take my resignation by phone. I didn’t resign, and although it’s take three days, I am getting a ride to work tomorrow (from an atheist, incidentally).
Here’s what I’ll tell you.
Most of the advice you’ll get from people who aren’t homeless won’t help you. They’ll tell you to take buses that don’t exist, or to get counseling for the depression they would have if they were you, or something else that doesn’t work.
Not everybody will be reasonable (such as my boss), but it happens that where I work there is a union. I don’t mean to freak you out, but you’ll have health problems pretty darned soon, so if you do get work, you’ll be entitled to reasonable accommodation. Show up for every opportunity. Don’t make it easy for you to get shoved out any door where you are making a contribution.
And get ready to be surprised just how kind and generous people can be. I’ve been amazed how if I’m doing my best, people I don’t know find ways to help. There will be lots of people giving you silly advice like the above, but there will also be people who help.
I’ll try to check back here tomorrow to see if you have any questions. But this too will pass.

A few more words I hope will help. You asked for prayers, not advice, but I offer both.
Two things: Prioritize, and appreciate.
Prioritize. What’s really important to you? Your life, your loved ones, your health, your spiritual integrity, some possessions? You may not get to keep all your possessions. Choose well among what you have left. Preserve what is really important. I’m sorry to hear you may be out on the “streets,” but having been there eight weeks, I can tell you life goes on.
And appreciate. Don’t focus on what you may lose tomorrow. Focus on what you have right now, and appreciate, appreciate, appreciate. Even when you do lose things, still appreciate. At the very least, it makes life more pleasant for you. And it makes you more help-able.
I did say a prayer for you last night. It’s an atheist who’s giving me a lift to work, but I still believe. I think my church (Methodist), which has not offered me so much as a baked bean while I cancer or now that I’m homeless is utterly hypocritical (“Oh Lord we are so glad we are helping the needy around the world,” yeah, load of crap), but I’m getting over it.
I’ll have to camp out tonight so I can work tomorrow. And I have a federal job (no benefits, but a paycheck. by the way, did you know there are federal jobs where workers don’t have health coverage? Obama is as true to his word as the Methodists). My boss did offer to have a home for meth addicts (I’ve never used any recreational drugs, and I’m an insulin-dependent diabetic) pick me up. Oh, joy.
But this too shall pass. Be blessed. Maybe you already are.
I’ll check this site this weekend, I hope.

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