We have a fundraising event called “Box City”, to support our area homeless shelter.  The idea is to give people the experience of being homeless.  Many church groups, businesses, and youth organizations participate.  Each person get sponsors like one would for a race or walk-a-thon.

We provide large boxes for people to design and decorate however they please.  We also provide food and drinks for the evening, music, and we have a candle light prayer vigil to pray for the homeless around the world.  The fun part is making our houses.  You can paint them, cut windows and doors, tape several boxes together to make a bigger house, or even make a two story house.  I don’t want to be the one who sleeps upstairs.

They play volleyball and gather around a campfire until about midnight.  Then they have the prayer vigil and go to bed.  now comes the hard part….and I mean hard.  The ground is very hard.  If it’s cold, one piles on blankets, if it’s hot, one sweats.  There are no air conditioning or fans in a cardboard box.  At this point you hear a lot of whining.

“I’m cold”,” I’ m  hot”, “My back hurts”, “Quit kicking me”, “Get on your own side of the box” and “Oh my Gosh, the upstairs is falling in”.  There isn’t much sleeping going on, but people sure are aware of some of the challenges of being homeless.  The people who at our shelter, The Liberty Center, don’t have it so tough.  We do have central air, cable TV, and free pizza every Friday night for supper.  Thanks to local businesses and individuals.

So, when you decide to complain about your living arrangements, try sleeping in a box for a few days.  It will make you grateful for all that God has provided for you.