NO LONGER HOMELESS, CW GOES HOME

Our article “The Underpass,” posted in January 2019, shares part of my journey with a man named CW. We met six years ago while I was on staff at Cityteam and CW entered our homeless shelter, and later, the recovery program. Only six months into the program CW left, but would join us occasionally for dinner. Time passed and he stopped coming altogether. I always wondered what happened to him. 

After connecting through Facebook Messenger, I learned my friend had been living under a bridge in Chester for over two years. That's two years of snowy, cold winters and extremely hot summers while gathering water, food, and supplies. Two years with few showers or connections with people. Can you imagine? 

CW shared that drug addiction, social phobias and anxiety drove him to seclusion. He was stuck living at that underpass, alone. He then said something I will never forget: no one had visited him in two years. Meaning CW had no one in his life who cared to come and visit. As someone who was also once a homeless addict, my heart broke for him. I could relate all too well to the hurt and pain.  

Within that week, we started meeting for lunch regularly. I was his first visitor under that bridge where he took shelter, and helped him get supplies. I noticed his huge compassion for others struggling, including animals. CW had kept a few cats and wild animals alive while living there… how cool is that! 

By 2019, CW successfully applied for housing assistance and SSDI benefits. The process was long, grueling, and left us with more questions than answers. After finally being approved and seeing benefits kick in, we waited for housing, which takes much longer. It looked promising at the start of 2020, but then COVID-19 was a hit that caused everything to stop, including help for CW. 

Still under the bridge in 2020, CW did what he always did, taking life one day at a time. I received the best message ever in June, “John, they opened up and approved my housing!” CW signed a lease for an apartment. After six years, my friend finally had a place to call home. This picture was taken during CW’s first time at his apartment. Incredible.

The conversations we had changed from addiction, mental health, life, music, and Jesus to furniture and appliances. After such a hard road, my friend had a taste of a safe, normal life. His mail doesn’t come to my house anymore because he has a mailbox, an address, a bed, running water, ID, income, and a refrigerator with food. My friend is forging a new future. 

I've learned so much walking life out with CW. His contentment, simplicity, and peace, as I watched them become significant life values for him, have inspired me to grow deeper in those areas.

As our efforts at Greenhouse Project expand, we are in awe of how God works in a story like CW’s. It’s all about building trusting relationships for the long haul. Kind of like creating family members for life. Programs can only help while you're in the group, but it’s the impact of being there for people where they struggle, sharing life, meals and resources, that truly leads to life change and long-term community transformation.

We focus on authentic, Gospel-centered relationships by living alongside those needing help in order to influence change on a heart level and create a lasting impact. Just like a greenhouse helps plants thrive in adverse conditions, we seek to support people and families in difficult situations towards purpose, health and self-sustainability so they can grow well.    

Join the Greenhouse Project movement! A great first step is to pray for us (it’s so powerful!) and come see what we do. Join us for home church on a Sunday or volunteer at an upcoming event. Prayerfully consider a financial gift… every penny makes a difference. We cannot make a lasting impact without your collaboration, so thank you! 

We want to help equip leaders willing to live where these types of needs are and build this lifestyle in communities around the country. If this is your heart, talk to us about how you can help launch a Greenhouse.  

Blessings,

John Clifford 

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To learn more about launching a Greenhouse contact us at info@ghproject.org