Under the Overpass
A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America
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4.5 • 34 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
An updated and expanded edition of the gritty, challenging, and utterly captivating portait of the homeless crisis.
Ever Wonder What it Would Be Like to Live Homeless?
Mike Yankoski did more than just wonder. By his own choice, Mike's life went from upper-middle class plush to scum-of-the-earth repulsive overnight. With only a backpack, a sleeping bag and a guitar, Mike and his traveling companion, Sam, set out to experience life on the streets in six different cities—from Washington D.C. to San Diego— and they put themselves to the test.
For more than five months the pair experienced firsthand the extreme pains of hunger, the constant uncertainty and danger of living on the streets, exhaustion, depression, and social rejection—and all of this by their own choice. They wanted to find out if their faith was real, if they could actually be the Christians they said they were apart from the comforts they’d always known…to discover first hand what it means to be homeless in America. What you encounter in these pages will radically alter how you see your world—and may even change your life.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Yankoski's parents were right: It was crazy to live as a homeless person in six American cities for five months; fortunately, this crazy idea makes for quite a story. Yankoski, a Christian college student, challenges the reader to learn about faith, identify with the poor and find "more forgotten, ruined, beautiful people than we ever imagined existed, and more reason to hope in their redemption." The journey begins at a Denver rescue mission and ends on a California beach. Along the way, Yankoski and a friend learn the perils of poor hygiene and the secrets of panhandling. They meet unfortunates like Andrew, who squanders his musical talent to feed his drug habit, and hustlers like Jake, who gives the pair tips about how to look and sound more pitiful to get more money. Yankoski tends to moralize: "If we respond to others based on their outward appearance, haven't we entirely missed the point of the Gospel?" Still, the book features fine writing ("I awoke, rolled over and saw beads of sweat already forming on my arms. Saturday, early morning, Phoenix") and vivid stories, authentically revealing an underworld of need.
Customer Reviews
Good book
Loved this book. Many great memories that will stick with me now and my interactions with the homeless will be vastly different.
Amazing and Inspiring Journey
Mike and Sam underwent a journey I had often considered but did not have the guts to try. They paved a way to a better understanding of life on the street that most of us forget or simply don’t care about. I encourage all Christians, especially those with a passion to help those less fortunate, to read Under The Overpass and let Mike and Sam’s struggles and revelations inspire you to not ignore the invisible people we walk passed everyday. Jesus said, “Whatever you did for the least of these, my brothers, you did for Me.”
See Matthew 25 : 34-40
It's Hard To Put This Book Down
Having chosen to be homeless for awhile many years ago after I joined a cult, I can totally identify with Mike & Sam's adventure. Homelessness is a very real and tragic epidemic in America. You will soon look upon these poor souls in a new light. This book is wonderfully written and totally authentic and engaging. Buy the book and join the adventure... from a safe distance.