Living in Knoxville has been quite a ride so far! I believe I actually saw every downtown 2 bedroom loft there was to see. I had an epiphany pretty much right before purchasing a perfect little spot on Market Square. That may have been one of those moments that I will never forget for the rest of my life. Do you ever have a moment where you think, "Wow! I feel like I just aged a few years!" or "I really feel like an adult"? Now we all know we are adults, thats not the real earth-shattering thought. I believe we all have moments though where we realize in a second or so that we just took a leap into a new chapter of life. For me those have always looked like a promotion or move with my company. In October though, I actually met a mortgage consultant. She pushes over a piece of paper stating that this bank would loan me an amount of money. She actually confirmed in this country I am qualified to actually own a home.
I think most just take this for granted. Most people would say, "Duh Chelsea! I mean anyone can buy a place. It may be crappy, but everyone can own a place." I really couldn't believe it, because it validates I'm getting old. I ultimately did not buy a home after realizing it was a larger commitment than I was ready to make. I did find it compelling to think of other people that do not have the ability to own or have a home.
According to the Homelessness Research Institute, 24 states have experienced an increase in people experiencing homelessness on any given night in 2011. Luckily, Arizona and Tennessee are not on that list of states experiencing this. The national average for homelessness is 21 people out of every 10,000. Out of those with an annual income at poverty level in the United States, 50% of the monthly income goes towards rent. When considering this, a lot of things role through my head. It seems silly to me that we as a country do not help those 21 in every 10,000 that need help. I think to myself, if I have the ability to keep a roof over my head and help others why haven't I? I won't say that I'm going to make it my mission to solve the country's problems, but it is only natural to think about the question, "What if?" This ties into what I'm studying in Acts in regards to being a disciple of Christ. I would encourage you all if you have any interest in understanding how you can help in ending homelessness in the US, please visit the National Alliance to End Homelessness at jttp://www.endhomelessness.org or the United States Interagency Council at http://www.usich.gov/.
