Where Would They Live if They Could Live Anywhere?
Posted: Tuesday, September 20, 2011
by Ingrid Weir
http://www.facebook.com/ingritaweir
I am late in writing about where I would live, I know, but I still feel compelled to write about it at this moment. We all have dreams of where we would live if we could, but I cannot help thinking about the first time I volunteered at a homeless shelter as a kid. Where would they live if they could?
See, the thing is, though, that I went into the place with my church youth group, and I had some of the same prejudgments as many other people do. Something changed that day, though. After making the food and serving them, we all went out to the tables and ate with them.
One family – yes, a family – a man, who was missing one arm, a wife, and two children. These people – this family was living on the streets because the man lost his arm on the job, and he could not afford the proper legal counsel to fight the big corporation. He lost his arm?! His wife, children, and he were on the streets because he lost his arm and couldn’t work anymore! Are you kidding me?!
Of course, there are others. The broken, the beaten… there are people, who suffer from mental diseases, and if they were fortunate enough to have anyone to care for them in the first place, those people gave up on them. The state isn’t taking care of them, and no one else is either.
These people did nothing wrong to put them there. They are ill. Some are suffering from PTSD from fighting for our country, and some are from years of domestic violence often from childhood into adulthood. Some ran away from home because of physical and/or sexual abuse there as children. There should have been someone to step in somewhere along the way to help any of these people – to help all of these people, but there wasn’t, and there isn’t!
Why is this? It is because no one cares about poor people. Most people believe that poor people are less than others are. Most believe that it isn’t their place to do anything. How many times have you seen someone that needed help before they ended up on the streets and did nothing?!
How many times have you seen a child that needed to be protected from their own family, but you did nothing? How many times have you seen bruises on a man or woman, and you knew it was from their significant other, but you did nothing? How many times have you turned your back when you could have at least tried?
That is the only thing we can do to change this – TRY! Just – for the love of all that is holy – just try to do something about this!When you pass a homeless person on the street, look into his or her eyes. If you have a moment, stop and talk to them. Those eyes belong to a human being! Sick, broken, beaten, or whatever it is that got them there; you do not get to judge them! Unless you have been there, you do not get to judge!
This is coming from someone, who has been there – if you have been there, and you still judge them, you do not deserve to be where you are, and karma will take it away from you. Have some compassion. Have some humility. There but for the grace of God go you.
Note: If they are drinking or on drugs, don’t assume that’s how they came to be where they are. People drink and do drugs to self-medicate. There is a deeper root to the problem that causes that. It isn’t for you to judge. It is for you to love.I’ve had people say to me, when I have given money to homeless people, “You know they’re just going to use it to buy drugs or alcohol, right?”
No, no, I do not know that, and I do not care either. If a bottle of Mr. Boston makes them feel better for the moment, I do not care… beyond that, I do not know, and I do not care. What they do with the money isn’t your business, and it isn’t mine. Do what you can when you can and nothing less.
If I could live anywhere, I would live where I am because I am thankful, blessed, and humbled that I am able to have so much more than so many. If I could do anything, I would take away the pain, loneliness, and hopelessness of all of those, whom have no choice and would give anything to live anywhere.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)This is a warm, thoughtful and thoroughly caring article. You make many wonderful points. I am removed from the city in my location so homelessness does not hit us "in the face" or directly. However, our church does raise money for a homeless cause in our state and my kids "adopt" poor families during the year and not just as Christmas and Thanksgiving - the point is to primarily provide clothing and food. This is organized through our pastor and is apart from the church sponsored collections. There is so much need all around us that it is hard to help and see an impact. The numbers of unfortunate folks who through no fault of their own find themselves without shelter, homes or families is astounding. There are many organizations that are trying to help including meals on wheels that have at last come out this way.
Amen.
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