Not having a driver's license and only knowing how to do drywall and finish cement, I wound up being homeless because I was unable to find appropriate work for my skills. I've been homeless for about 2 years now. I didn't like being homeless at first, but now I've learned to be thankful and content with my situation. Most people don't believe I'm homeless because I don't fit the part. I see my daughter every weekend faithfully, and we attend church on Saturdays, which is the Sabbath. She is 15 years old, and very intelligent. I'm very proud of her.
For my living arrangements, I've built a wooden framed, three room space, under a very large bamboo thicket. It consists of a bed area with privacy, a living room with sitting areas, a storage space, and an entrance room. the roof is solid bamboo, towering over the whole apartment. It's great living there. It's like being in the jungle by the river. At night I can read by candlelight or play a soft tune on my guitar. I have a lot of peace out there in my bamboo apartment. Sometimes I pray to God. There are no crawl spaces or holes to come into the rooms. Its solid and sealed off. No one knows it's there. A small hole on the riverbank, where the water flows, is where I enter the apartment. While living here, I've seen beautiful hawks, a rare red fox, a muskrat and a beaver. Ducks and many schools of fish, quietly swim up and down the river. Sunsets are beautiful around here, with the soft sound of crickets singing in the distance. The water flows cool and crisp, with a bubbling sound, as it makes its way down from the hills, into the valley of California. These are times I will never forget. I really love nature with all that it has to offer.
I don't believe that Modesto welcomes the homeless. The police intentionally harass them to the point of incarceration. I don't feel comfortable knowing that the police and the city council are against me because of my unpredictable, unfortunate situation. At least God is on my side. He's taken care of me out here, in the woods, all by myself. There have been extreme dangers and I've never been hurt. I've also learned to accept people just the way they are. I will be a friend to anyone. Just like Jesus! |
