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01.05.2018 Feature Article

Foxes Have Holes But The Son Of Man Is Homeless

A homeless woman with her two best friendsA homeless woman with her two best friends
01.05.2018 LISTEN

In Africa, there are hundreds of homeless children roaming the streets without education, however, in Europe and America, there are homeless too but they are adults.

In the Bible, Jesus spoke in parables, using stories and illustrations to speak to his followers. He once said, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” His teachings and parables may be rejected by non-believers or atheists, yet his teachings reflect on our lives today.

Do you know that in 2005, a global survey by the United Nations, estimated over 100 million people were homeless worldwide and as many as 1 billion people lacked adequate housing? In Europe alone, there are 3 million homeless people, while Columbia registers 9.5 million and 24.4 million in Nigeria. There are also hundreds of homeless people in Canada, Britain, Belgium, Australia and the United States of America.

There are certain factors contributing to homelessness. Physical disabilities, depression, mental illness, drug abuse, broken homes, domestic problems and lack of employment, are some of the causes leading to homelessness. At times one may be free from the mentioned problems, but certain factors can push someone to live on the street.

Travelling overseas might be very easy despite how hard to get a visa than finding a place to live. Your relative can accommodate you but not all of them can continue that favour for long. I have heard of many Africans who were in good positions in Africa, selling their properties to Europe, only to find themselves in serious situations that changed their lives forever.

“If Europe and America are really bad, why are you people still there?” I have heard this particular question over and over but the fact is some Africans in Europe and America wouldn’t like to speak the truth. As a writer, I used my articles to educate. After reading, let it encourage you to dare to come to Europe or change your decision.

I came to Europe in 1986 on my own. I don’t know anybody but determined to survive and succeed. In Rome, Italy, I slept at the central train station for many days, before I moved to occupy one of the abandoned Pasta food factories in Rome, famously known as ‘Pantanella.’

Many Africans facing the same obstacle like mine and couldn’t handle it any longer returned to Africa but I stayed. I remember begging one of my friends returning to Sierra Leone to stay with me. He defeated my pleas saying when he was coming to Italy his wife was pregnant.

After some years, I migrated to another European country. Today, I am a Belgian national living with my wife and three children in Belgium.

Everyone has a problem; the most important of all is how to deal with that problem. Will you allow that problem to take its toll on you?

Will you choose to be a drug addict or alcoholic because you are homeless in Europe? Over the years, I have seen so many Africans who are either drug addicts, junkies, or homeless. How did it happen?

Just as I said earlier take the horns of the problem and deal with it and don’t allow it to turn your life upside down.

Everything about my life from Africa to Europe has given me eight books available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Joel-Savage/e/B008SCTYI6

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