Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America [Paperback]

Mike Yankoski (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 31, 2005

5th Anniversary - Updated & Expanded Edition
With foreword by Francis Chan

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.
   Mike and Sam's story is gritty, challenging, and utterly captivating. What you encounter in these pages will radically alter how you see your world—and may even change your life.
 

Editorial Reviews

From 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. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-As a college student in Santa Barbara, Yankoski was comfortable with his life. However, listening to a Sunday sermon one morning, he began to wonder whether his faith would remain as strong if his privileged upbringing and typical college existence were taken away. So began his decision to put his faith to the test. After discussing his plans with his family and various advisors, he and a friend took a leave of absence from their studies and their middle-class lives to enter the world of the homeless. They spent five months in 2003 on the streets of Denver; Phoenix; Washington, DC; and other cities. Playing their guitars and panhandling, they relied entirely on charity. The harshness, hunger, dangers, and indignities they faced are reported in detail. They formed friendships with other homeless people and watched many of them struggle with alcoholism and drug addiction. Yankoski steers clear of preachy or patronizing tones, and his dry sense of humor makes the book thoroughly readable. Teens will appreciate the frankness with which he approaches the day-to-day challenges and his personal struggles.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Library System, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books; Later Printing edition (March 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590524020
• ISBN-13: 978-1590524022
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (268 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Children's & Teens > Teens
  • #16 in Books > Teens > Religion & Spirituality

More About the Author

Mike and Danae live in Vancouver, B.C. with their dog, Elliott. They are both studying for their Masters of Christian Studies (MCS) degrees at Regent College. Their passions include backpacking, hiking, running, tea, growing veggies, good books, and substantive conversation. Mike serves on the board of directors for World Vision US, and is the author of Under the Overpass. Danae is the co-author with Francis Chan of Crazy Love and The Forgotten God.

For more information, please visit www.UnderTheOverpass.com or www.ZealousLove.org

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 68 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "Be the Christian you say you are..." September 21, 2005

By Erik Olson VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

One day during a powerful sermon, Mike Yankoski had a paradigm shift as a believer in Christ. He decided that he needed to become the Christian that he claimed to be. That epiphany evolved into a daring plan: drop out of "normal" life and live for five months as a homeless person. After prayer and counsel, he found a kindred spirit named Sam Purvis to accompany him for safety's sake, and they did just that. Equal parts travel journal and faith chronicle, "Under the Overpass" is their fascinating story.

While most Christians (myself included) dream about the radical things they would *like* to do for God, Mike and Sam actually stepped out and did them. They traveled around the US to five different cities and spent about a month in each. They lived by their wits: panhandling, sleeping under bridges, eating discarded food, and getting to know the grungy homeless most of us dismiss as being lazy, addicts, crazy, or all three. They also experienced the best and worst of "regular" people, Christian or not - those who went out of their way to help, along with ones who taunted them or threw them out of coffee shops and churches.

An important aspect of this story is what it isn't: a fundie guilt-trip, ego boosting condescension, or boring theological treatise. Instead, it's a tale of simple and real faith in action. Mike and Sam had a humble desire to live out God's Word on the edge, and they fall back on Scripture verses and spiritual songs for succor or to reinforce a lesson learned. Of course, there were times of discouragement, conflict (with third parties and each other), and physical misery. But through these trials they achieved a deeper and more profound relationship with Christ, along with a genuine love for those who aren't so lovely or lovable....

The most fascinating part of "Under the Overpass" was Mike and Sam's positive and negative encounters with others, homeless or otherwise. It didn't take long for them to personify the external qualities we associate with street persons: dirty, smelly, and dressed in cast-off clothing. Once that transformation took hold, every interaction changed significantly. In addition to the usual rejections and confrontations, they received unexpected grace, often when at wit's end. For example, both were rudely thrown off a large Phoenix church campus after they were discovered sleeping on the lawn. Somewhat discouraged, they prayed and visited the church's service the next day in part to escape the oppressive heat. To their surprise, the man who had previously sent them packing tearfully asked their forgiveness and revealed that he was the director of the area's homeless outreach program! As for the homeless, they weren't depicted as "noble savages" or sad sacks with hearts of gold. Many were enslaved to substance abuse or mentally ill, and would often harass or intimidate others to get money for their fix. But some managed to help their fellows with food or companionship despite their own issues. And a few claimed to know God and love Him in the midst of their addictions and problems. Mike and Sam genuinely cared about these folks, and came to see them as equal bearers of God's image. Friendships were formed in each location, from the colorful "Sugar Man" in Portland, Oregon, to the talented but damaged Andrew in San Diego. And when people took time to help, or dealt with Mike and Sam as persons instead of skuzzy annoyances, the two men profoundly appreciated these demonstrations of agape love.

Both Mike and Sam's outlook on life and faith in God were radically altered by their unique experience. Based on Deuteronomy 8:7-11, at the journey's end they prayed that the change would stick and they would "never forget" God and His blessings. Each has returned to his previous life, but both brought along a heart for the homeless and disenfranchised.

Mike Yankoski has written one of the best Christian books I've read this year. It pricked my conscience to see men living out a genuine and radical faith vs. just being OK with the "easy grace" and material benefits I take for granted. There's also a website based on the book's title with additional information about Mike and Sam, an online forum, and resources pertaining to the homeless. I wholeheartedly recommend "Under the Overpass." Read it while listening to Switchfoot's "The Beautiful Letdown," and you may have an epiphany of your own. Read more ›

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Big, thought-jerking lessons April 28, 2005

By Christian Book Previews VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Clean, comfortable, and well fed? Have a cup of coffee and a couple of cookies to hand and ready to receive a nice little blessing? Well, think again. You are likely to choke on those cookies. No nice little blessings here, but rather some big, thought-jerking lessons leading to deep, maybe even uncomfortable, convictions.

Upper-middle class college students Mike and Sam answered God's call, purchased very used back packs and sleeping bags and, for several months, joined the ranks of the homeless. This adventure was not an easy decision. Receiving much advice from Christian mentors, making sure they had prayer backing, these two guys started in Denver and by the time they hit Washington, DC, they knew what kind of hunger makes you eat out of trash cans.

With a guitar and a modicum of talent, they sang gospel music on the streets to raise a little cash. Sometimes they ate 99 cent hamburgers. How long does it take for cement to become a comfortable bed? Where do you find washing and toilet facilities when businesses chase you from theirs? Just how dirty and smelly can a human become, and how fast? How do you handle sickness, injury, rampaging feelings? Which are more predominate, Christians and churches who ignore, chase, denigrate the grungy hopeless, or those who emulate their Lord by helping them? Are there Christians in dire need out there on the streets? What does it really mean to depend on the Lord for absolutely everything? Mike Yankoski knows the answers first hand.

Not a missionary, nor a theologian, although he keeps in the Word, he shares his experiences in absolute simplicity with gritty, deep truth, never shielding us from the smells, hurts, shocks, and fears.... With ruthless honesty, Mike, and Sam through him, share their homeless victories, tragedies, and despair. He compares Pharisaical Christians and Christ-like followers. He presents the homeless people they met on the streets: drug addicts, drunkards, families, couples, dog-owners, Christians, pagans, old, young. We might think of them as scum. Mike and Sam learned to know them as people, fearing some, loving many, praying for them all. Under the Overpass provides many suggestions for working with these people.

Maybe God is calling you to do something that comfortable Christians consider unusual; Under the Overpass will encourage you immensely and help you set parameters for your adventure. Whether read individually, or for discussion in a group, middle school age through adults will gain through reading this book. - Donna Eggett, Christian Book Previews.com Read more ›

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Changed my life December 23, 2005

By radiogirl85

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I heard Mr. Yankoski on a Christian Internet radio station talking about his street-living experiences and the subsequent book that followed and was fascinated from the first word. Not only is the book hard to put down (I read it in about a day and a half but without interruption, easily could have in less than a day), but having Mike's real-life experiences as the main story makes for a highly educational read. My opinion of the homeless was not exactly very "Christian" before I read the book but now I see their situation very differently. Mike offer's quite an eye-opener into the some-times hellish living conditions the homeless face and the fact that most of them are not content to be there but have no other options.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Has its flaws, but... December 30, 2005

By Jeffrey Nelson

Format:Paperback

I just finished this book the other day and found it a convicting read. The fact that he had the courage to do this was enough for me, though it's far from perfect (he censors the conversations he has with people he meets, sometimes a message comes across that seems to say, 'if only people prayed more, they'd get what they need,' which I found simplistic).

He doesn't pretend that this wasn't a somewhat controlled endeavor. He tells of having contacts in each city, he 'eases in' by checking into a rehab center, they start with some emergency money in their packs, etc. I was reminded of Barbara Ehrenreich's 'Nickel and Dimed,' which made similar admissions before she got started with her project. One should read the book aware that this is not going to be a 'pure' account of homeless life, which he readily admits anyway.

Nevertheless, some of the stories he includes are incredible (churches that wouldn't give them the time of day, getting kicked out of a cafe because 'he wasn't a paying customer' right after he bought a cup of coffee). Within his boundaries, Yankoski shares his experiences, from which we can learn plenty. I keep coming back to that line: 'be the Christian you think you are.' That'll preach.