- [Interviewer] Barnabas and Asia,
you guys have been living in this RV for two years.
But first introduce your children, man.
They're gorgeous.
- Isaac, Bethany and Zachariah.
- [Interviewer] Oh my gosh.
So Barnabas, you told me you were working at LAX
and you lost your job.
- Yes I lost my job over just a conflict
with the supervisor.
I was doing bag run, you know for American Airlines
working with G2.
After that misunderstanding with the supervisor
and stuff like that the supervisor take measurement
by pulling the cart when I was trying to screen
the bag them and he pulled my left shoulder
out of place and I have to have surgery.
I have three screws in my shoulder.
They placed me off work.
- [Interviewer] Oh my gosh, so now you can't work.
- Now I can't work.
- [Interviewer] Oh my gosh, you told me your shoulder
totally came out and you had to have--
- Came out and it's really messed up.
It would be good if I could give a picture
to see how the shoulder look like.
- [Interviewer] Yup.
- Anyway since that procedure I was doing surgery,
I was doing therapy and all that and my Mom passed away
right in the midst.
So me and Asia,
we went to Belize to do a funeral for my Mom.
We leave on the 23rd, 24th?
We leave on the 24th of May 2014.
That's right?
- [Interviewer] Yeah, yeah.
- We spend one and a half week over there.
We couldn't spend the full time because my oldest son
was going to graduate.
We came back from Belize, we hitchhike
because we didn't have the amount of money
so we hitchhike from Belize to America.
When we got to Los Angeles at our home,
there was a letter on the door stating that
how we get evicted and we have to go to court.
- [Interviewer] So you got evicted and you had no choice
but to live in an RV.
- Yeah we tried to get places and you know
some had waiting lists, some just wasn't calling us back,
you know what I'm saying?
So it's hectic out there.
Some only take Section eight only.
You know it's hard out here.
- [Interviewer] So for two years you've been living
in this van.
- Two years.
- [Interviewer] So with three children
and Zach has cerebral palsy.
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Oh my gosh, what's that like
living in this van, in this RV?
- It's hard you know, because we need help.
We need outside assistance, you know what I'm saying.
Like his therapy they want to come and fit for a tub
you know and things like that and I keep making excuses
as to why I can't have them in my house, you know.
So yeah.
It's really affected me and my son tremendously.
My whole family.
- [Interviewer] Oh my gosh.
How are you surviving?
- Well you know we get help from the government
for Zachariah, you know.
I'm on CalWORKs with my other two children
and also I try to do odd jobs for other people,
recycle, whatever I can do to help out.
- [Interviewer] Now what's a day like, I mean,
'cause oh my gosh you've got five of you in this
tiny little space.
- Yes, and some days--
- And we get--
- Go ahead.
- We get up like everybody else to start off
to have lights and running water we go start our generator.
So we keep gas on us at all times.
And you know we turn the generator on, get the kids up,
go wash their face, brush their teeth you know.
Get ready, you know and go to school.
I stay here with Bethany.
She's on the waiting list for school as well.
I'll make breakfast.
Me and her will watch TV, cartoons you know.
I teach her a little ABC stuff in here, you know.
That's it.
If it's a nice day we'll go for a walk,
go to the park, whatever.
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] So you're going to school?
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Good for you!
That's awesome.
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] What would you want people to know
about homelessness that they probably don't know.
- Okay, one I would like people to know that
we don't want to be here because it's our situation.
We don't want to be here because we want to be here either.
We just be here because the condition
of how people treat us.
- Even family treats you wrong when you're homeless.
You try to go stay with family in certain situations
and they will turn you down.
- For example, we were, when I was working at LAX,
we have apartment, we were paying 850.
We could have saved money.
As soon as that incident happen, there come,
child support come and just take off all our money
off the bank and told Asia that well she owe
for food stamp or something like that.
But anyway they leave us with zero and all the credit union
and the bank we have.
We have American credit union.
We have American bank.
We have Wells Fargo.
Whatsoever we have they just take it away
and they were garnished just one of my paycheck
so when we cry to them then they said okay
we're going to leave you alone.
So when I filed tax which was the last tax
I could have filed, they take all that money
so I only have zero.
So now they make us in the condition is much worse
in the RV.
If we could have helped ourself out of the RV
if they didn't do that, then you know the situation
will be good.
But a lot of people they don't want to be in a RV
if they don't have to because you know--
- [Interviewer] Well this is, nobody should have to
live like this.
- Exactly, so most of the time they force us to be here.
We can't fight the system.
We have to do what we have to do until God said
hey enough is enough and we'll get you going.
So here come you all helping us by the grace of God.
- [Interviewer] So the good news is the LAHSA
just was able to tell you that they possibly
have a three bedroom apartment for you guys.
- That's right.
- [Interviewer] It's in the works.
You go to an appointment tomorrow.
- That's right.
- [Interviewer] That must be exciting.
- Very happy to get out of here, very happy.
- We're really happy right now so we could improve
on my son by eating.
He can't eat, he can't walk, he can't talk,
he can't do nothing.
You know he's just gained age
but he's not gaining independence for himself.
So now we could finally do something for my son
and have him try to be independent and stuff like that.
- [Interviewer] If you had three wishes what would they be?
- I wish all my son get all the needs
they need education-wise, you know,
and be happy and healthy.
That is one.
- I wish I had a house.
- I wish no one would ever have to go through this again.
I wish there were agencies and programs to help people
before it gets this bad, before, not after, before.
So that's what I wish.
I wish no mother has to go through this with her children,
or father, ever again, ever.
- Okay.
- I wish I go my party.
(laughing)
- [Interviewer] Well thank you all for talking to me.
- Thank you, thank you for listening.
Thank you for taking the time out.
- You're welcome and hey I wish everyone could be like us
and get out of their RV.
- And have a success story like you too,
how you came from being homeless to,
you know, helping the homeless.
- [Interviewer] Homelessness is not an end
but people need help to get out of homelessness,
and it's good to see that LAHSA was here
to be able to help you all.
- I wish you could show your face on TV
so that they could see some more.
Man I saw you on the TV.
- [Interviewer] Thank you guys, it was great talking to you.