Cover Story
by Lane Bjelkevig
"We ended up eating popcorn thrown out from a theater and relish from a hotdog stand that day. It was one of the most physically challenging things we encountered."
Previous Cover Stories | Send mail to The Voice
Student Lives on the Streets in Six Major United State's Cities
Sam Purvis settles into his sleeping bag for the night, Purves and Mike Kyanoski endured five-and-a-half months of the homeless life. -Sam Purvis, photo
Purvis' friend and brother in Christ, Mike Kyanoski, felt God calling him to become homeless 16 months prior to embarking on the six-city adventure. Kyanoski had met Purvis three months before the trip through mutual family friends. Both felt God had prepared their hearts for this extraordinary experience.
Their carefully articulated plan had three major goals: to relate better to the homeless by becoming like them, to observe the church from a homeless person's perspective and integrate what they learned into church ministry, and to be content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13).
"Being on the streets myself, by grace I can say that I can be content in and through Christ in whatever circumstances," Purvis said.
Playing guitar and panhandling became their main means of survival. Their first taste of city streets was in Washington, D.C. Hot and humid, the first week seemed action-packed and torturous. Hunger wrenched their empty stomachs.
They had an idea. The Potomac, the waterfront in Georgetown, was a mecca for the wealthy. Nearly 1,000 people partied on the boardwalk. Doctors brought in their yachts and scantily clad young girls did their best to get on board.
In four hours of playing guitar, they managed to earn $1.32. Although wealth surrounded them, they only generated 32 cents from the masses, while a couple of poor African-American children raising money themselves gave Purvis and Kyanoski $1 for their efforts.
"God uses the foolish to confound the wise," Purvis said. "We ended up eating popcorn thrown out from a theater and relish from a hotdog stand that day. It was one of the most physically challenging things we encountered."
On 30th and M Street in D.C., they met an artist recruiting people to attend his art show that night. They couldn't attend his gallery because they didn't have money. Later that night the artist came back, asking if he could wash their clothes and feed them. Unsure of the circumstances, they prayed and decided "hanging out would be cool."
"The next 28 to 30 hours were the most spiritually draining time of our whole time on the streets. As soon as we walked into the apartment, we felt this intense sense of evil," Purvis said.
Intense art combining good and evil was the main thrust of many of his works. The artist wanted to paint them. Kyanoski and Purvis declined and tried to minister to the artist, talking about Christ for nearly four hours. The time together ended with them holding hands in a circle and crying out to God. The artist did not accept Christ as Lord and Savior that day, but Purvis believes the man's thoughts were stirred.
Kyanoski and Purvis did have contact with a few godly men, however. Before the trip, they set up a board of advisors consisting of seven men to keep them accountable and give them counsel. "Proverbs 20 shows our need for counsel in making plans," Purvis said.
Interaction with the board was easy through e-mail in public libraries. Any questions or concerns regarding situations Purvis and Kyanoski encountered were voiced to these men. The board established a contact person in each city to debrief on the stresses and joys of the week.
In San Francisco, Kyanoski and Purvis again faced lack of food and lack of sleep. Each night, the city streets are cleaned with chemicals and water. Most of the time the homeless are asked to move, but not this night. Kyanoski and Purvis awoke drenched from a hosing at three in the morning.
Because of the heat, both men wore flip-flops. In San Francisco, the top of Kyanoski's flip-flop broke, making walking difficult. That afternoon he stopped in front of a church and tried to duct tape it while churchgoers looked on. No one offered aid. When Kyanoski and Purvis asked if one of the church members could provide them with lunch, the pastor referred them to the donuts and coffee table.
When Kyanoski and Purvis asked if they could return if they needed food, the pastor said, "We're just here to worship."
Some church campuses kicked them out and said; "There's really no budget for supplying you guys with food." Other churches posted signs outside padlocked gates, saying: "For church business only."
Doug Key, supervisor at the Portland Rescue Mission said; "The church needs to be educated, willing to serve, disciple, and be willing to integrate themselves with other churches that specifically minister to the homeless if the budget doesn't allow for it."
Although neglected by some, Purvis said, "There really are some gems in the body of Christ."
A few college students noticed them one day, looked them in eye and treated them like humans. The students talked to them as people, not street scum. They invited Kyanoski and Purvis to dinner, discovered they were both Christians and followed up dinner with a worship time. The students invited Kyanoski and Purvis not just once, but twice.
When the five-and-a-half months of filling the homeless man's shoes were completed, Kyanoski and Purvis returned to their homes feeling they truly came to realize what Philippians 4:11-13 really means.
Previous Cover Stories | Top Of Page
Send mail to The Voice| Journalism department website
© 2004 The Voice. No part of this publication may be reproduced in written or electronic form without prior written consent from the journalism adviser of Multnomah Bible College. All rights reserved.