A Journey Through the Woods: A Former Drug Dealer’s Mission to Help Oregon’s Homeless Amidst the Crisis

The crisis of homelessness and drug addiction in Oregon has reached unprecedented levels, with the number of unsheltered individuals rising steeply in recent years. In this article, we delve into the heart of the issue by exploring one of the largest homeless encampments in the state, accompanied by a former drug dealer turned gospel messenger, Matt Maceira.

Matt Maceira, a man with a past steeped in drugs, violence, and crime, has witnessed firsthand the dehumanizing effects of society’s indifference towards the homeless. He remembers the insults hurled at him as he lived on the streets, the constant devaluation of his worth. But despite the hardships, Maceira’s story takes a turn for the better.

Born into a world of drugs, Maceira’s introduction to the substance world began at a young age. He started drinking at eight and was introduced to crank by his father when he was eleven. The violence and crime that accompanied his upbringing were, to him, a form of entertainment. However, the loss of his twin brother Rei to suicide sent him deeper into despair and addiction.

It wasn’t until a pastor befriended Maceira that he began to see a glimmer of hope. After several more years of struggle, Maceira finally turned his back on the only life he had ever known. “I have a totally new life today,” he says. “God changed my heart.”

Oregon’s homeless population has grown by 37.4% from 2020 to 2023, according to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The state has the second-highest percentage of homeless residents who are unsheltered (64.6%), behind only California (68%). The state and local government spending on housing and other homeless services has also skyrocketed.

As we journey through the woods behind Wallace Marine Park in Salem, Oregon, one of the largest homeless encampments in the state, Maceira reflects on his past and the current state of the crisis. He shares his experiences with former homeless individuals like Aidan, who ran away from home at the age of eleven and spent most of the next twelve years living on the streets or in the woods behind Wallace Marine Park.

Aidan, now going on five years clean and sober, works for a medication-assisted addiction treatment facility and often returns to his old home, spreading the gospel and encouraging others to find their way out of the forest. Together, they help those who are ready to enter treatment for addiction.

As Maceira and other volunteers chat with residents of the encampment, they witness the transformation of individuals like Tyler, who has been homeless and addicted to meth for about a decade. With the help of Maceira and his team, Tyler calls a treatment facility, taking the first step towards sobriety.

For some, living in the woods is more comfortable than the claustrophobic feeling of being surrounded by four walls. Individuals like Seven, who have been homeless since 2006, and Ressa, who briefly lived in transitional housing, find the freedom of the outdoors preferable to the limitations of indoor living.

However, Maceira acknowledges that not everyone’s story is the same. The housing first model, which prioritizes giving homeless individuals housing without preconditions like sobriety or addiction treatment, does not address the underlying causes of addiction and mental health needs. Maceira opposes low-barrier shelters and believes that a lot of money is being “wasted” on programs that put the homeless out of sight and out of mind.

Drugs are being sold and used in these places, and people are dying. I’ve done celebrations of life services for people that have overdosed at low-barrier shelters,” Maceira says. He advocates for re-criminalizing possession of hard drugs in Oregon, believing that lawmakers have an opportunity to “course correct” during their current legislative session.

Letting people use methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin or any other deadly substance is not compassionate,” he says.

As we continue our journey through the woods, we encounter the reality of the situation. No matter what we give, this is what happens to it. But clean socks and water do serve as a beacon of hope in the midst of the chaos.

Maceira’s mission is to help those who are ready to leave the woods behind and rejoin society. His story is a testament to the power of redemption and the importance of addressing the root causes of homelessness and addiction. The crisis in Oregon may be complex, but with individuals like Maceira leading the way, there is hope for a brighter future.