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Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America

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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.

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

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.

I would like to respond to James Wallace. Perhaps you were disappointed in this book because you were looking for a point that the writer was not trying to make. This book is a snapshot of Mr. Yankoski's experiences. Everything I read or watch or do must be filtered through my experiences and spiritual life. With that in mind, this book knocked me back a few inches.

When I opened the book I expected it to be "preaching to the choir." For the last 32 years I have either been living by the gracious hand outs of others or I have worked in Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens.

I know what it is like to wonder how I will feed my child his next meal. I also know what it is like to cook at the Salvation Army on Sundays and load bags of food into trunks, carts, & backpacks on Mondays. But none of that knowledge is enough.

Caring for the needy in the small ways; touching the people the Jesus touched the lepers; NEVER letting someone see you flare your nostrils when you pass them; caring for one another as automatically as breathing....these are the things that God applied to my heart as I read this book.

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.

The choice made by the author, Mike Yankoski, to give up his safe and secure life really makes the reader think about life's priorities. Under the Overpass challenges the reader to examine their own daily lives and to live outside their comfort zone. The book is well written, and its first-person narratives help put the reader in the author's shoes. I really enjoyed learning about the lives of the homeless. It gives the words 'being content' a whole new meaning. I would highly recommend this book

Wow, what an eye-opening experience in humilty and faith in trusting God with everything. This book was excellent! I would love to buy a copy for every family member, friend, and youth in our church so that they too may try to "be the Christian they say they are."

This book will definitely challenge you. It's interesting to see whether you identify more with the street bums, the pious hypocrites passing by on the other side, or the authors. Although a few rough edges indicate the editing was rushed (minor spelling mistakes like "heroine" for "heroin", misuse of apostrophes) these do not distract from the overall thrust of the book. One wishes at times that the book had more of a unifying theme, or summing up of what was learned, or the author talked about how he changed in his outlook and behavior. But it's mostly a journal and odyssey.

This book makes you think about all the things we take for granted. The homeless in america are treated with an amazing level of distain. Mike offers pratical suggestions on how we can make the most difference in the life of the homeless. The reader is challenged to do something for the homeless and not just walk on by. Prepare to be challenged.

At the young age of 20, upper-middle class Mike Yankoski traveled with his friend Sam to six cities in the United States: Denver, Washington D.C., Portland, San Francisco, Phoenix, and San Diego.

You might think that there is nothing special about traveling around the U.S. The thing is, Mike and Sam felt led by the Holy Spirit to live their faith in order to better understand the plight of the American homeless population and to witness how the Church is, or is not involved.

Under the Overpass consists of five months of stories and reflections of the preparation and travel of Mike and Sam on the "mean" streets of America. Mike discusses how it felt to plummet overnight from being an upper-middle class college student to a scum-of-the earth untouchable. With no money, panhandling became their job, and if it didn't pay well, then dumpster-diving for food was their mode of grocery shopping. They also had no safe place to live or sleep. Mike's stories of living with alcoholics, drug addicts, the mentally ill and social outcasts will astound and shock you as they did me.

All Christians who believe they are living their Christian faith would do well to read Under the Overpass and then have a good hard look into their hearts and lives. This is a book that could change your life and that of the people you encounter daily.