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

Inspiring!

In this book, 2 upper middle class young men decide to be homeless because they feel as if they are called by God to do so. This book tells of their experiences on the street. When I picked up this book, I was like many other people who just walk by homeless people and don't give them much thought. However, this book showed me that God is calling all of us to help others. There are so many people in need on the street and we must be their voices. I really feel like this book will change my life. I know God is calling me for a special purpose, just like he called these men.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Couldn't put it down

to walk a mile in another man's shoes....well Mike does that and paints a gripping picture. I can't tell you what all this book did for me. It really makes you step back and see yourself in another light. Amazing Book!!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

AWESOME BOOK, I HOPE IT CHANGES YOU LIFE!

Just picked up a book at Mardel's called Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski, 'A Journey of Faith on the streets of america'. It's about a guy that after hearing a sermon on 'Being the Christian you say you are', decided to spend 5 months on the streets as a transient in order to: 1. Better understand the life of the homeless in America and to see firsthand how the church is responding to their needs. 2. Encourage others to 'live out loud' for Christ in whatever ways God is asking them to. 3. learn personally what it means to depend on Christ for my daily physical needs, and experience contentment and confidence in Him. Very very good. Pick up a copy or you can borrow mine if you want. Here's a quote: 'If we are the body of Christ--and Christ came not for the healthy but the sick--we need to be fully present in the places where people are most broken.' 'we all of God's children are beggars at the foot of the Cross, broken people, in need of mending.' and when he's talking about playing music for money and everyone walked by with out giving any... he got mad at first, but then he remembered reading 'We are all equally priviledged but unentitled beggars at the door of God's mercy.' (Brennan Manning) so then 'realized how unentitled I really was. No one deserves mercy. And no one walking by owed us a dime. Mercy is, by definition, undeserved, or else it isn't mercy.' OH YEAH.! GET it! REad it! It will change your life! Be sure and underline things that stand out to you!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

THE GREATEST BOOK EVER!!!!!! We cant even imagen what they had to go threw. It would be sooooooooooooooo hard to do what mike and sam did. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!

Great read!!!!!!!!

Life changing

Before reading this book I didn't help the homeless because I wasn't exactly sure what was helping and what was hurting. But this book has shown me all the stuff I can do to help and also inspired me in my relationship with God. I never really thought about the life of the guys sitting on the park bench and playing beat up guitars before now, but from now on I totally will. Don't read this book if you aren't prepared for change because those pages bring on a lot of it. And don't read the book if you aren't willing to start loving the homeless. There are some hard truths in this book, but I think they are truths we need to hear. Somebody needs to wake us up and I am glad these guys did.

In 2003, college student Mike Yankoski decided to test his faith

In 2003, college student Mike Yankoski decided to test his faith in God by abandoning his typical middle class life to wander the streets of six major U.S. cities for 5 months. The result of this journey is Under the Overpass, a vivid first hand account of homelessness in America. From brawls in a public park to scouring dumpsters for something to keep the hunger pains away, Yankoski’s harrowing descriptions of this destitute lifestyle kept me hooked throughout the entire book. I decided to read Under the Overpass because I needed to read something that related to my ethnography on Homeless People Who Became Successful (a project for a high school English class). I approached this book with the mentality of any typical high school student forced to read for school, “I am probably going to read the first 20 pages, give up, and look up a summary online.” I reluctantly picked it up and began to read, and kept reading, and kept reading. I was amazed. How could I be this in to a book I have to read for school? Yankoski’s stunning portrayal of life on the streets of America kept this high school student interested from cover to cover, which is no easy feat. I can honestly say that Under the Overpass is one of the few books in my English class career that I have been genuinely interested in.

Before starting it, one must know that Under the Overpass is definitely written from a Christian viewpoint; Yankoski’s journey was based on his faith in God, and he sometimes quotes scripture. However, the book does not require one to agree with Yankoski’s spiritual beliefs, because a theme even more prevalent in the book than faith in God is the beauty of human kindness. This is exemplified in the story of a man named Rings, who Yankoski meets in San Diego. Rings is an old homeless man who sleeps in the cab of his truck. Each month, when Rings receives his check from the government, he takes a trip to the grocery store and spends 100% of the check on food. He then brings the food to the beach and feeds as many homeless people as he can. This left me dumbfounded. I was amazed that this man who lived out of his car spent every last penny he possessed feeding others in need. Rings reinforced my faith in humanity, and it is stories like his that make this book outstanding. This documentation of homelessness is an excellent read; it is entertaining while conveying very real problems in America today without being “preachy.”

Great Read!

As a college student, Mike Yankoski hadn't had much of a chance to put his faith in God to the test. Compared to many others in the world, he had lived a life of relative ease. So when the opportunity arose - a semester off of college - he teamed up with another college student, Sam, to put their faith into action. They wanted to find out what it was like to be homeless in America. They planned a six month period of time, during which they would experience homelessness in six different US cities. They took only thrift store puchased sleeping bags, one change of clothes, and their guitars. To travel from city to city they panhandled and they lived only off of the money they earned pan handling and from shelters and food kitchens.

Writing
I'd describe this as well-written light non-fiction. Because it's really a memoir, there isn't a lot of fact presentation or research that needs to accompany it. It's written in an accessible way that I think makes the book appealing to a variety of people, including teens and possibly even middle graders. At times simplistic, I think the writing really accomplished what the author wanted: to make his story available to a wide variety of readers.

Entertainment Value
I was pulled in from the first chapter. The story of what Yankoski goes through as a homeless person is moving and intriguing on its own, but what really made me love it was the spiritual insight. A major criticism of modern Christianity is that Christians do not do enough to help those in need. Yankoski's experiences show both sides of this: some Christians are generous and some reject the men based on their appearance. And this need for acceptance and generosity from the Christian community aren't the only spiritual insights gleaned from the book. Many passages challenged me on a personal level in various aspects of my life, including my attitude towards the poor.

Overall
I highly recommend giving this one a try. It is a work of Christian non-fiction, so be aware that it's going to be coming from that point of view, but I think this one could also appeal to non-believers. Yankoski doesn't preach and the book doesn't require that readers agree with Yankoski's religious beliefs, although they do play a large role in the book. It's also a very accessible book and will appeal to a wide range of reading styles, abilities, and ages.

Look carefully at the homeless. What do you see?

You will never see the homeless again the way you once did. This is a hard read for your heart but an amazing story of courage and what it means to " walk the walk." Required reading for humanity!

Incredible. A must-read

I had to read this book for school and wasnt excited about it. I loved it. It was so amazing ill probably read it again sometime

Highly recommended - you need to read it now!!!

If you are looking for a book that will change your life, if you allow it to, you need to check this book out now. I am not the same person that I was when I began reading this book. The text is something that anyone can take and use in their daily walk.

What A Great BOOK....

I Loved this book...very well written and I could not put it down...really shows how much we need to work on giving to others and to realize that we need to live life the way God says and not what the church or others say we should live...I feel terrible about how the churches treated these two guys and others. Makes me want to do more in the world than what little I have been doing..TP

This book will challenge you into action! Order your copy or go get it at the store!!

This is a great book and one that I highly recommend that you add to your library for life. It will be a book that you keep coming back to you to remind you how blessed we are to live in the United States. If you walk away from this book without feeling challenged to help those in need, whether on the street or not, my heart is truly sorry for you.

For my full review please go to domingorogers dot com and search "Under the Overpass"

Great Book for Self-Reflection and Church-Evaluation

This book takes very little time to get into and is a quick read. I felt like I was along for the experience and was surprised, no appalled, to hear how many churches treated less desirable people in our community.

Under the Overpass is great eye-opener and would be a great intro for groups heading out on mission trips to help the less fortunate and for those that need a wake-up call.

Loved it.

TRULY a journey of faith...even for the reader! CHECK IT OUT!

During my time reading Under the Overpass, I ran into several friends who had read the book previously, were reading it now, or had seen it a considered checking it out. I was elated to know that several of them had read it. I coveted the time to converse about it with those reading it. I prodded those who had not read it to DO SO NOW!

What's the reason, you might ask. Well, I was engaged, intrigued and convicted by this book. Basically, I really, really liked it! I was able to travel alongside Mike (the author) and Sam (his traveling buddy) as they leave their comfortable, middle-class lifestyles and live on the streets of six, large American cities. They journaled during their time and Mike shares that account in a straight-forward manner. You get to meet those they encountered. You will feel their pain as they panhandle, with no luck, for the third day straight. You will start to smell the stench and imagine the grime during this epic adventure to see how many Americans live daily. You will be surprised at the reaction of many Christians. You will be stunned to know that it was not the Christians who stepped up and helped "the least of these." Throughout it all, Mike and Sam learn more about God, His Provision and the meaning of love and compassion. Mike and Sam came away from the experience changed.and I came away from reading the book changed.

Difficult to put this down to go to bed!

Under the Overpass is the story of two college guys who voluntarily decide to live on the streets as homeless men for five months. They spend between 3-4 weeks each in six different cities so they can experience what it is like to be homeless: Denver, Washington, DC., Portland, San Francisco, Phoenix, and San Diego.

The book itself is an enjoyable read and offers what I can only assume to be an accurate portrayal of life on the streets. My biggest complaint is that the book was edited to keep out "common street lingo" (as the "Note to the Reader" refers to it). The authors write, "Vulgarities and crude insults become part of everyday conversation, even between friends. But out of respect for our readers and the standards of this publisher, this element of street life is not present in the pages you're about to read." My question is, "Why not?" I'm not suggesting that they litter the book with F-bombs and other inappropriate language, but why shy away from the truth? There could certainly be ways to use blanks or abbreviations if they wanted to stay away from the actual words. It's like trying to act out the story of Jesus but never assigning someone to play Judas. Sometimes life is ugly and we do an injustice when we display it any other way.

Yankoski does make some great points throughout the book which should make the reader seriously reflect and contemplate how they treat others who are made in the image of Christ.

I particularly appreciated Yankosi's honesty as he reflected on his own struggles in what he experienced during his time on the streets, particularly his realization that he "wanted to live in plenty but remember the sharp lessons of living in want." (p. 209)

Overall, I'll give the book 4 out of 5 stars. Definitely worth the read.

I received this book free from Multnomah Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A Fresh Viewpoint

I generally salivate at the prospect of reading real-life adventure stories where the authors take me the reader along as they scale mountains or bear harsh weather or travel the world by foot. The honesty and adventure promised by Mike Yankoski in *Under the Overpass* is what first drew me to this book, his first-hand account of purposeful homelessness for the sake of bringing the Gospel of Christ to the lost and downtrodden of American streets. I drew from this book, however, far more than simple adventure stories, and more even than personal Christian witness. As I read through *Overpass*, I got the sense that Yankoski sought not only to reach the lost with the good news of Christ, but also to understand their perspectives.
As a teacher and writer, I understand more than many the importance of knowing one's audience before addressing them, and it became obvious to me that Yankoski has taken this principle to a very much-needed extreme. As Johnny Cash once sang: "It's hard to feed someone else when you're hungry; and don't try to teach when you don't understand." By joining the homeless in their mire, Mike Yankoski was then able to eventually bring his readers to that same level of understanding the poor of which Christ and the apostles spoke extensively.
Beyond providing this necessary viewpoint, though, Yankoski has also supplied the American church the unique opportunity to see how the poor of our streets view the American church: and oftentimes that is through very dismal, understandably antagonistic eyes. *Under the Overpass* is convicting read, one that challenges a believer's comfortable living and skin-deep faith.

[Note: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review]

© 2011 E.T.

A must read!

I recently read the book "Under the Overpass" by Mike Yanoski, which was given to me free of charge by "Blogging For Books", but please be aware all opinions are completely mine! This book details the journey of two men as they leave their lives of privilege and decide to jump into the world of being homeless. They spend 5 months traveling around the country from Denver to D.C. to California. They take with them only a guitar with which to panhandle with, and a $3 sleeping bag purchased from a thrift store before they leave on their journey.

I found this book to be a very good read, and captured my attention from their very beginning. I found Mike's insights often to include questions that were inside my head that I was wondering how he felt about things, and he really was able to open the eyes of the reader. One of the questions he answered in this book was should we give money to the homeless, and while I will not give away his answer I found it to be very thought provoking and is certainly a question I deal with as a Christian. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to understand th ins and outs of the homeless world, or who have no idea what is about and are just curious. Though the book is over 200 pages it felt like it was only 70, it was a quick read and holds your attention till the very end!

under the overpass by mike yankoski

Summary: Two college boys (Mike and Sam), in search of what it meant to live in Christ, decided to experience life on the streets for 5 months in 6 different cities. The book is a summary of their experiences, of what they learned, and how they grew as lovers of Christ.

I had some disappointments with this book, but also some big delights, here they are.

Why I really appreciated this book:

1. The descriptions of homeless life in America as seen through the author's eyes and the personal stories of real individuals struggling on the streets.

2. The author's passion to help people who are usually avoided by those with higher status.

3. The author manifested his trust in God, showing how he used the Bible to maintain and grow his trust in God in difficult situations. Really cool!

4. Very challenging. Put your trust in God and show the love of God in hard places to hurting people. He challenges the church to live and love radically, the way we were always meant to live and love.

5. Near the end the author shows us what comes first: our love for God. And says this should be our motivation to love others. Because God loved us in Jesus Christ (even to death) therefore we should love others with this same kind of love. Awesome! Show the love which He showed us.

Some disappointments:

1. The author often sounds condescending, impish, and arrogant. (It's too bad, because the author really does care about people, I think, so it's just too bad).

2. Sometimes he makes slightly unfair or unnecessary conclusions about the churches he visits. Or about the people who avoided him on the streets.

3. There are a few assumptions in the book that lead to falsehood (bad theology), which can lead to hurtful and unwise living (bad orthopraxy).
Examples

Of one of my disappointments:

Ex. On pages 55-56 Mike talks about a family of three (dad, mom, young child) that passed him and his partner (Sam) as they were sitting in front of an Italian restaurant in Washington D. C. Mike says the mom was pushing the toddler in a stroller and the dad was beside the mom. As they passed Mike heard the mom say, "We have to be about the gift of giving and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit." At this point, Mike says, "But when I caught her eye, she looked away and quickened her pace." Okay. You should know something else, though, Mike and Sam are both over 6 feet tall. Surely, they were dirty and smelled bad, which were (probably) contributing factors, but these guys are both big guys, young, and strong and compared to a mom pushing her stroller down the sidewalk, I mean, we should give her some benefit of the doubt, right? So, I wish Mike could have shown a bit more empathy in the writing of this book. He does show more empathy near the end, but wants to encourage us to show the love of Christ. And I agree, I think the mother could have been more loving if only she had not been so very full of fear.

Of some of my delights:

In San Francisco Mike and Sam were helped by Russ (a worship singer with tatoos) and James (a 17-year-old preacher) who, when asked by Mike why they were helping him and Sam, said, "The Bible says that we must reach out to those in need . Jesus loves us, so we get to love you. It's a privilege." - Really cool. This is our motivation.

A quote from G. K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy: "We do not want anger and joy to neutralize each other and produce a surely contentment. We want a fiercer delight and a fiercer discontent." ;

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Definitely worth the read!

Under the Overpass isn't what you would call a theology book typically. But it certainly is a book of practical theology and at times biblical theology. You read the journey of two guys, Sam and Mike, as they travel from city to city for five months living on the streets. Mike Yankoski's narrative paints a vivid picture in the mind of what living on the streets is really like.

I would certainly recommend this book to be read by people in the church. Yankoski brings to life the reality of what life is like for thousands of individuals who have no place to call home. If his desire was to show the church and the world the real need that is on the streets of people having their needs met in the name of Jesus while sharing with them the gospel of Jesus Christ, he has succeeded. Yankoski doesn't do so simply by sharing his stories that happened during his time on the streets. Rather he shares those stories and intertwines the biblical call for social justice and mercy ministry. As Yankoski writes after his return to normal day to day life he tells his readers the greatest two commandments, to love God and to love people. He encourages the church to love their neighbor, they must first love God rightly. I think Under the Overpass can be of much aid and prompting for the church to do as the Lord Jesus has commanded. Pick up a copy, take to reading, but be prepared be removed from your comfort zone and come to the realization that there is real need from real people in your community.

great book

I recommend this book to any Christian who is sincere about their walk with God. It will make you want to get involved in a hands on way with the world.