Helping the Poor

Once upon a time, I was close friends with the Director of Emergency Disaster Services for the Salvation Army in the Chicago area.  (It's a long story, related to amateur radio.)  He lived in Elk Grove Village in the NW suburbs of Chicago, and considered himself my mentor in radio--and particularly the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network.  (SATERN.)

As it happened, when I was visiting he and his wife one summer, he was given a directive.  There was a trailer park in Robbins, IL, (far south suburb) that was shutting down.  All of the tenants had been notified to evacuate at least 30 days ahead of time but weren't doing it.  (They claimed they had nowhere to go.  I believed them.)  In desperation, the power to the park was shut off.  That would do it, right?  Wrong!  The people remained in the dark.  Since the residents of the park were mostly African Americans, the Rev. Jesse Jackson appealed to The Salvation Army to feed the residents at least twice a day.  Which they did.

Thus, I rode with Major Pat on the SA canteen to the trailer park site on one day.  I was instructed to hand out meals off the back of the canteen to anyone who showed up.  And here is what happened:

1.  Most people were grateful for the free food.
2.  Some people were grumbling that the canteen was late.
3.  Some people said that they needed more than one meal because there were people "back at the trailer" who also needed food.
4.  Some people complained about what was offered.  (As I recall, it was hot dogs, baked beans, a bag of chips, a drink and dessert.)

I learned a lot about helping the poor that day.  I didn't know ANY of those people.  I had to ask if it was okay to give some people more than one meal.  Was instructed not to question it.  How much more significant is it if we actually KNOW the folks we are trying to help?

Since then, I have had many more opportunities to help those who can't help themselves.  If one actually follows their stories, it becomes obvious how lives of crime are created.  Helplessness, hopelessness, depression, an attitude of greed based on need develops, and those who "have" ignore those who "have not".  A beggar on the street is probably only going to buy booze and drugs, right?  Offer them food and they just turn it down because they just want cash.  Crooks, for sure! 

So what is an honest person to do?  My last two excursions into helping former students in need had mostly to do with food.  Jesus said, (paraphrased), "If you love me, feed my sheep."  I am fat and sassy, although not rich at all...but that causes me to understand that others need more sustenance than I do.  I have no desire to enable poor people to stay poor, but I DO understand that there are times when they need help.  I have endeavored to do that.  Sometimes, I regret it because it becomes like a seemingly bottomless pit.  Whatever I am able to do, financially, seems like not enough.  I can't do more.  Or can I??

What is real and what is manipulated?  I don't know, but I'm going to find out.  My latest "charge" is a youngish man, a former student, who is disabled but not in possession of any help from anywhere.  I will do what I can to help him.  As Jesus said, "There will be poor with us always"...but...what if I can SOMETHING that will make a difference?  I can't promise him the world, but I can promise him that I will try to make things better for him. 

If you are a praying person, please ask the Almighty to find a way for me to help without sending my finances into the gutter.  Please give this young man a reason to believe that the world is okay for even folks like him.  Please dedicate your life to helping people cannot help themselves. 

"God don't make no junk!"