We left the beautiful liturgy and headed out into the depths of the darkening twilight. The rest of the church went inside to share a meal while the three of us stood outside and talked.
The air was hot and still. The humidity was high, but the setting sun made it feel cooler.
Encounters in the night…
From the darkness came two figures. One was limping and pushed a cart before him filled with the little belongings he gathered that day. The other was a tall, thin lady with a gentle face and sweet voice. She greeted us cheerfully, proclaiming her joy as she spoke.
She greeted us cheerfully, proclaiming her joy as she spoke.
“I had a can of mixed fruit this morning. And it was so good!” she said. “And then for lunch I had a can of Spaghetti-O’s. And it was…”she hesitated, “it was good. I’m trying to ration my supplies. I have enough to feed myself, but I just wanted to make sure it would last.” She laughed. “My clothes are starting to fall off!”
These simple gifts gave her great delight. Like a child opening a present on Christmas morning!
I gave her some suggestions of outreach centers nearby. She’d gone to most of them. But they only allow a visit once a month, so her supplies would have to last until her next visits.
A place to stay…
She went on telling us about the tiny income she had of only $300 per month. Not enough for much of anything, and certainly no guarantee of a solid roof over one’s head.
We stood there aghast, thinking of how much we had in our pantries at home.
“I got two $11 dollar raises and they took $60 out of my SNAP benefits!” (SNAP is a food stamp system for those within the United States.)
$300 a month. We stood there aghast, thinking of how much we had in our pantries at home.
But she was so excited to tell us about the wonderful meals she’d received at one outreach. Student chefs would prepare nice meals for them. Such a treat when barely scraping by!
A bed in the darkness…
A patron allowed her to live in a shed behind her house. Not much, but at least, hopefully, she could stay dry and off the street.
She was one of the lucky ones.
She was one of the lucky ones.
And now she finally was able to get on a list to be in actually housing. To get in would be like a much wanted Christmas gift you could never afford.
Her boyfriend of 5 years slept in a tent in the woods with 27 other homeless people. The police had a warrant out for them to kick them out.
But where would they go?
Sorrow and a bit of sunshine…
She told us that they both had gotten frostbite last winter. But she still remained cheerful, accepting her fate.
My friend directed her to the back door of the church. He said to knock on it and go inside. There they could receive some food.
We stood in silence, pondering just how burdened we are with all that we own.
She parked her little cart next to the door. She and her boyfriend were kindly ushered inside and given a place at the table.
My friend turned to me and said, “She had no worries because she had so little.”
We stood in silence, pondering just how burdened we are with all that we own. In my own life, as much as we pared ourselves down to necessities, we still had more than the bare minimum.
Such luxury compared with the ascetical life of the impoverished.
It made me think…
In a land that once was known for its opportunities, what happened to the spirit of our culture? It is more commonplace to take from the poor and fatten the rich than give of ourselves for someone else.
“Before you ignore another homeless person on the street, just remember that that could be someone’s father or someone’s mother and they have a story.”
— Syesha Mercado.
Those who live on the streets have very little. And those who are stronger bully them and harass them. What little they have is stolen. Even their physical lives are endangered by the predators who roam within their vicinity.
Yet, even so, the poor graciously share what they have with others who live as they do. They gladly give hospitably to even those better off than themselves.
Giving is a way of life for them. Mankind is meant to serve, and it shows in their lives.
But not so much for us.
While we cannot give all to offset all those in need in our area – and the numbers are growing in leaps and bounds as surrounding states shuffle them all to us, we can at least reach out and help them in little ways.
Even the Outreach Centers cannot stock their pantries without government assistance.
No one will give.
“The biggest misconception about the homeless is that they got themselves in the mess — let them get themselves out. Many people think they are simply lazy. I urge those to make a friend at a local mission and find out how wrong these assumptions are.”
— Ron Hall
We need to learn…
But for those who try to serve the needs of others as we are able, there is something we can do in the moment.
We at least can offer a little bit of kindness to those in need.
Perhaps we need to go back to the understanding we once had.
A kind word. A nice meal. A place to lay their head.
Whatever we have to share of ourselves, if not of our material goods, is missing in the hearts of people today.
Perhaps we need to go back to the understanding we once had. That within each one of us, we are created in the Image and Likeness of God. So to serve another, we are serving the God Who created them.
But. sadly, we have thrown out the very idea of something beyond ourselves now, so there is no place for such things. We have taken His place crowning ourselves as Creator and Dictator of all things.
It made me sad to think how heartless we have become.
The darkness began to fall…
As we stood in the darkening night, another gentleman with his belongings wandered into our parking lot.
“Come! Share a meal with us!” my friend enjoined. And he helped the man to the entrance, giving credibility to the offer. There he was led inside to join in the feast.
But I couldn’t help but wonder. “What more can we do to help the poor?”
The twilight began to turn to darkness. Our conversation waned, and it was time to go home. Home to our soft beds and air conditioned houses.
But I couldn’t help but wonder. “What more can we do to help the poor?”
The government fails and punishes them when the people go beyond the proclaimed “limits” declared. The value of each human life determined by some bean counter’s algorithm.
But the true value of a human life is far more than this.
There is a dignity in the life of each person.
Especially the older people, like these three were. They may have made bad financial decisions when they were younger, or life may had gotten in the way preventing them from setting anything aside for the future. It’s hard to know.
It struck me just how much we are limited by our earnings. The more we have, the more we want, but the less we are willing to share of ourselves…or our finances.
“Give, but give until it hurts.”
— Mother Teresa
Perhaps we need to change our perspective.
Put ourselves in their shoes. Understand what it would be like to live as they are.
Maybe, just maybe, we can see that glimmer of God that shines in them. Then, as we learn to serve from our abundance, we will think less of ourselves and become humbled.
For the poor give more than the rich to those in need. From their lack, they are willing to share because they understand suffering.
Give and serve to gain richness without lack.
“Store up riches for yourselves where neither rust nor moth destroy.”
The richness that only humility and love can offer when we think less of “me”.
“Love is not patronizing and charity isn’t about pity, it is about love. Charity and love are the same — with charity you give love, so don’t just give money but reach out your hand instead.”
— Mother Teresa