NPR: Homeless Advocate Goes High Tech

Homeless Advocate Goes High Tech

by Pam Fessler
All Things Considered
June 9, 2009


Homeless advocate Eric Sheptock uses technology to get his message out. Though he's homeless himself, he keeps a blog, a Facebook page and a Twitter account. Sheptock, who lives in Washington, D.C., says he wants to educate the public about what he and many others like him are up against.

He spends a lot of time in the city's public libraries, where he gets free access to a computer. There he can check his e-mail account and write his blog — called On the Clock with Eric Sheptock — which has so far attracted hundreds of readers. He recently wrote about his concern that the homeless shelter he now lives in is in danger of closing.

"My next blog [post] is going to be about the challenges that homeless people have when it comes to employment because oftentimes they can't get money to ride the bus to the job and they can't get lunch money," Sheptock says. "So for your first week or two, you have a lot of difficulty maintaining that job."

He's also written about how hard it is for the homeless to get work in the first place. For example, they might have to carry all their belongings to a job interview, turning off a potential employer. Or they might have to choose between work and food because the soup kitchen closes before the workday ends.

Read the full article here

Six-Four (六四)

(From Dr. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Fuller Seminary, Morning Devotional June 4, 2009)


Twenty years ago, on 4 June 1989, the Chinese Army used tanks and guns to end peaceful mass demonstrations on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Since mid-April, hundreds of thousands of people- students, workers, intellectuals- had demonstrated daily for press freedom, democratic elections against corruption. Thousands of students went on a hunger strike to underscore these demands. The images of tanks moving against unarmed citizens were broadcast around the world.

In China up to today, it is not possible to talk openly about the events of 1989, and nobody is allowed to openly mourn the victims. Chinese Christians are using the anniversary of the massacre to ask us for our intercession.

INTERCESSION

God of Life- we pray for all people who were involved in the Chinese Democracy movement 20 years ago; strengthen our hope for change. Help them not to become discouraged and cynical. Give them patience and perseverance in all that they are doing for change in China.

God of Comfort- we pray for all those who have lost a loved once during the massacre 20 years ago. Comfort them in their mourning. Be close to them with your power and love. Grant them strength to continue to stand for injustice.

God, Lord of this world- we pray for the Chinese government and for the leadership of the Communist Party. Move their hearts, Lord, give them courage and strength to admit their injustice and their mistakes to make a new start. We ask for the freedome of those who have been impresoned for their political activities.

God, Father of all- we pray for all people in China. Help them not to forget their new-found prosperity that life is more than food and drink. Give them your grace and power to stand up for justice and truth.

Amen.