More of myself than I wanted to see

I finally put down Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski tonight - only because I finished it. It's a completely engaging story about two college students (Mike and Sam) who spent six months living homeless on the streets of six US cities. Their experiences were compelling, eye-opening and convicting.

The book is truthful and well-written. Mike makes it clear that homelessness was their choice, and they could have stepped out of it at any time. But, their experiences are a strong, bitter taste of what life is like on the streets - streets around the corner from all of us.

I was convicted as I read about their experiences with Christians who were unwilling to even offer a smile or word of encouragement. Sadly, I saw myself often as one of those folks.


Mike discusses how homelessness is dehumanizing. It's emphasized by our unwillingness to interact with the homeless people we encounter. At the end of the book, Mike relates a story about an interaction he had with a homeless person after Mike and Sam came off the streets. Mike gave the man a burrito and visited with him while he ate it. The man said it changed his week. 


Simple acts can change all of our lives.

I enjoyed so many things about this book, but I especially appreciate the practical ideas for getting involved with the homeless in our communities that he includes. I'm hoping that I can become more like the people in the book who take the time to bless all people they encounter, regardless of what they look like. 

This book would be good reading for anyone, but especially someone seeking to gain a greater understanding and perspective of those who are homeless. It certainly challenged me.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook-Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. If you're interested in Under the Overpass, you can buy it here.