Fifteen years of helping the homeless.

I have been working with and helping the homeless since 2007, in that time I have learned they are no different than you and me, most of them are kind and generous, and they look after each other.

People go homeless for many reasons.

Looking past the substance abuse and going deeper to the root cause of what causes a person to go homeless, along with conversations with homeless men and women, there is a wide range of reasons from abuse as a child to losing a job.

The Homeless do have one thing in common, they can not deal with their problems, and like most of us, the only way they know how to deal with problems is to pick up the drink or pick up the drugs or both.

There is also a good percentage of homeless who have mental illness, the homeless that are mentally ill makeup in my experience 5 percent at most of the homeless population. Of course, we do have to take into consideration that figure represents the obviously mentally ill.

Unfortunately, there is no way to get any of them into a detox or rehabilitation or off the streets, unless they want to. It doesn't matter how sick they are mentally or physically, if we call an ambulance or the police, they can and will refuse medical treatment, which leaves us powerless.

That is where love comes in. We use the love we learned from the Bible and Jesus of Nazareth, along with the patience that goes along with it, and apply the same to ministering to the homeless.

I personally by God's grace will minister and provide needed comfort supplies along with becoming a close friend. When the time comes and they are ready to get off the streets we are very close friends and they listen to me. When I say you are a chronically homeless man and need long-term rehabilitation some agree.

The foundation of our success is leading as many homeless as we can to Jesus, along with getting most of them to church service. This is our foundation and is the keystone to our success without our lord and savior and prayer, our success will be at a minimum.

God bless you.

Chaplain Steven Crawford

Homelesslongisland

Mathew 25:

35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.

36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?

38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?

39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’