Darla Kellar

Mercy for the Forsaken Darla Kellar

Much of society disassociates hunger and homelessness with life in America. Yet there are over 700,000 hungry with no place to call home. Even convicted murders and child rapists are sheltered, fed and given free medical attention in U. S. prisons. You can ask a question with one word: Why? And fill a book with the answer. There are a lot of reasons why people become homeless: natural weather disasters, addictions, unemployment, divorce, mental illness, domestic violence and child abuse. While a small percentage of the homeless are able to get back on their feet and become a functional part of society, most become chained so tight by their addictions that they lose all concept of time, place, and reason. Some of the homeless believe that they have no reason to be more than what they are... homeless. My brother Tommy was one of America's homeless alcoholics, and found comfort with the company of fellow broken people. Many of the homeless have a fragile spirit and are perceptive toward one another's unspoken pain. These are people who don't want to remember the past and have no dreams of a future. Many of them hope to quietly die in an alcohol induced sleep, and a large number get their wish. The homeless are: sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, and even decorated war veterans. One thread of truth connects all of the homeless: they are fellow human beings who are in need of help. In my book, "Mercy For The Forsaken" I ferret out the reasons behind Tommy's homelessness and alcoholism and why he chose the company of the down trodden when help from family was only a phone call away. Being homeless shouldn't mean being hopeless.