Meet one homeless man who’s truly happy
Olu Johnson is happier than a lottery winner.
Amazing, considering how high the chips are stacked against him: he is homeless, in poor health, and recently divorced.
Since November, Johnson has been staying at the men’s cold-weather shelter at The Salvation Army in Mankato, Minn. With nowhere else to go, the 64-year-old is likely to remain at the shelter until it closes for the season in late March.
His body is breaking down. In his lifetime he has undergone one shoulder surgery, three knee surgeries and two back surgeries, one of which occurred in September. He uses a walker and must wear a body brace (pictured) almost all day.
“I’m busted up,” Johnson said. “I’m constantly in pain. Age is not on my side.”
Johnson became homeless in September after he and his former wife split up. He spent most of that month and October living in his car, reclining the driver’s seat to sleep. His size 10 feet would swell so large at night, he had to wear size 12 boots. By day, he spent hours walking the perimeter of a Cub Foods parking lot.
“I walked to strengthen my back,” said Johnson, who would march several miles every morning before heading to the local library to read all afternoon. “My clothes would be soaked. People would come up and say, ‘Man, you’re really working.’”
During those two months, Johnson was able to shower only four times.
Considering how awful Johnson’s life has been since the end of summer, most people would say he has every reason to be unhappy.
Johnson doesn’t see it that way. Instead, he believes he has every reason to be happy.
“I’m alive, by the grace of God,” he said with a smile. “God will never let everything overwhelm me; this is just a discomfort. He is in charge. He will supply my needs.”
The little things
Johnson’s inspiring level of happiness is linked to his equally-inspiring level of thankfulness.
“I give God thanks for every little thing,” he said. “Compared to sleeping in my car (pictured), the Salvation Army shelter is luxurious. Here I can shower any time. I’m warm. I can watch TV. I’m fed in the evening.”
The shelter, open seven days a week from 6 p.m.–8 a.m., is a bunkhouse that provides warm and safe temporary housing for up to 33 adult men.
As a gesture of thanks, Johnson has been volunteering for The Salvation Army for the past few months. He spends up to six hours a day prepping for and cleaning up after the Mankato Salvation Army’s free community lunch, among other low-impact volunteer activities.
“I thank God for The Salvation Army,” Johnson said. “Without them, I’d probably be frostbitten by now.”
Uncertain future
Johnson isn’t sure where he will live after the shelter closes in late March. He has looked into Section 8 housing, but said the waiting list is more than a year.
These are uncharted waters for Johnson, who is new to homelessness. After moving to America from Nigeria in 1981, he has supported himself his whole life working as a welder, cab driver, warehousing professional and – most recently – as a certified nursing assistant from 2006–2015. He now collects about $950 per month in social security and pension income, which is not enough to live on.
He’s not rolling over, though. He wants to continue working and is looking into going back to school to be a counselor. The biggest challenge with that will be finding an affordable place to live until he can get his student loans in order.
“I talked to a lady at my church about housing – she’s going to see if anyone in our congregation can help, so that’s one avenue I’m looking at,” Johnson said.
What happens next in Johnson’s life is anybody’s guess. But he’s not sweating the uncertainty. He knows God has his back.
“The Bible says God will never forsake you,” Johnson said. “I trust in Him. If I reflect everything to Him, He will supply my needs. He has kept me alive to love.”
Your donations to The Salvation Army help people like Olu Waseye. Please join us by volunteering or making a donation to support your local community.