Albuquerque Community Rallies Help Owner Forced to Live on the Streets

Despite this stereotype of the homeless, Joe Calkins blubbernden was calm with low voltage.

“It’s a miracle,” he said, a gesture, the quantity of human beings in and around his house strawberries. The journalists provided, a city councilor, a city and a number of voluntary self-builders Association of Central New Mexico.

They were all there for the kick-off of a project, which would ensure the completion, now owner of the house homeless Calkins able to leave his life on the road and live again in his house.

Calkins, 52, bought the house in downtown Albuquerque 1976 to $ 12000 as fixer of the thigh. But a number of violations of city code in his country - resulting from decades of a long struggle with depression and adult attention deficit reflection - in the town of compatibility Calkins’ at home too dangerous to live in

Accordingly, Calkins, who works full-time and part-time work for Comcast time at the University of New Mexico’s Continuing Education Program, is the homeless.

In an interview last Calkins told me that a few days after his fate was in the Albuquerque Journal, he received a telephone call from the journalist who wrote the story.

Calkins told that the members of the association Auto manufacturers Care Program (www.hbacnm.com / committees / buildersc …) and were interested in the transformation of his house.

Calkins called Auto-builders Care Committee Chair John Paulson.

He said, he said Paulson, “” I have enough money to take care of heating and gas distribution and other people need help probably more than I do. ”

Calkins said Paulson replied, “The sooner you a productive members of society, the sooner you can find it.”

Displaced Advocate is the owner of the house for the homeless

Calkins said Paulson The offer was initially overwhelming, and part of it feels that the aid of other human beings. However, Calkins, he realized soon.

“I saw that I would be five years earlier than expected, to do God’s work,” he said. “I did not know what it was, but I have observed, in public discourse and education, as well as the entirety of the Association of people from different religions. ”

Calkins. He said that nine months, it had requested, and said: “My God, I know that you sent me here for a particular purpose. J’ai unusual talents and abilities, most people do not, and Alternatively, the World View … I know that I ask myself a service for you, but I do not know what. “Once my medication, so I am just functional, it is still too take three to five years to fix my house up to a reasonable basis for me to work. Had I not been in the order you with God, and if you want I am at your service by the past to be done, then I will show an alternative. ”

Shortly after this prayer, Calkins, he said, and those of Comcast began, more money, when it is based in his life. He began to earn starting work. It was like he had more than $ 4000 and had already begun to work at home, where he obtained from the city of reference.

Calkins, he said in conclusion that the offer of Paulson, in the name of self-Bauer was the second half of the answer to her prayer.

He said, “I discovered that it was part of God, and I did not have better measurement with it. I knew that everything in God’s hands, and it does me. It is a measure of knowledge, this Less than knowing it. I saw the essence of my being. felt I already part of God, and the honor of being chosen for the service. ”

Calkins said he realized this time he refers to a certain type of service for the homeless. He said that, it is amended by Laws antisocial measures, and public awareness, which local, state and federal governments.

Calkins had strong words for government officials, homeowners forcibly from their homes.

He said: “For someone who was really discouraged, depressed and has no hope, the loss of their homeland is disastrous. These people may fall into a depression, they never in the (re), and at the end of death. The cause of death Would due to a mental illness or malnutrition, or something similar, but the real cause of ending their last hope. ”

In referring to his own experience, by the government, in charge of homelessness, Calkins said: “The decision was a technical decision, not a social choice. It houses more than humans. What they have said is that the city is really a collection of buildings, not people. ”

Calkins said he feels as if his life was in the direction of this issue. “All of my education in public discourse, my reconciliation with God, my confidence in the future. All this gave rise to that date. A person can not much, maybe. But I can communicate with others and a multitude of human beings can be a quantity Faire. I intend to make it a social problem. ”

Calkins has already begun, for his language. A short time ago to speak in Albuquerque, a group dance, he had strong words for the participants. He asked to contact elected officials, like their city Counselor.

Calkins said: “Tell him, or her, that people are well-housed and far more important than the appearance of the buildings. Tell them that people are not just buildings. ”

He added: “Tell them that the city should not exmittieren any low-income person, at home, even if they deem it” dangerous “, unless they have ensured that first, there is an alternative equivalent housing for the same price.

Calkins In addition, he invited his listeners to contact their representatives. He said: “Tell them that the law allows the State to a residence permit demolished (because), it lacks electricity and gas and links is simply inhumane abuse. Tell them that the criminals more rights than the owner of a house of the accused is not a question of the code. ”

Calkins added, “I have not told my rights, not for a lawyer to me, and not have the right to appeal to the court by a jury of my peers age. Tell them you want a just and humane in the rules implemented. ”

Calkins, he said also, the dance group that her homeless person because of the difficulty in keeping the city safe from me a house of inadequate heating oil heating, which I have used for 20 years. Now, I am outside, and I can tell you, it is less certain that the house. ”

He added: “This action is part of a broad campaign to the city by the mayor of the city beautification, on the surface, structures or poor cry.”

Calkins told me that, after his unexpected of homelessness, it has a lot of new friends and allies, and it is in the “respect”, which took place.

“I am in fear to this story is, as it is to play,” he said. “I look at all the events that have that effect, and I have no idea where it goes. I had a feeling of hope. I will start the Community and education … I do not know if it is a success or ineffective, but I know it will go well. And I am humbled … In my role. “

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