You don't know Chad. He's a friend of mine who is traveling the country, meeting homeless people and loving them. And trying to learn from them, and how best to help them. He blogged this today:

But when I was walking the streets of Chicago today, I was overwhelmed by the amount of people who are completely neglected and in total need. There’s thousands upon thousands of humans who are living in the streets and begging for a way out. We walked by one man who was on his knees begging for someone to help him. His face was in complete horror. Tears were surely falling down his face. I had no more food because I had just given my whole bag of food to another man I met earlier. I had no money because I had given it all away. What do I do? What am I supposed to do in a situation like that?

Then there is yesterday for me. I spent the last two days working in a community in Southwest Detroit. Yesterday while leaving a restaurant with three others, we were approached by a woman. She told a long story about needing to get to Arkansas and several other things that, according to those who have worked with homeless people for lifetimes, would seem to suggest a bit of falsities to earn money. But then again, how do you know? I do know this. The whole deal made me feel awful. Awful that there are thousands in my city who need help, that I haven't helped, that I don't even know where they are. And awful that this woman needs a help that I can't provide. Pray that God will speak through the addictions.