Homeless Questions

The front of his shirt proclaimed, 'Africa doesn't need me, I need Africa". It was a video of a couple of young guys traveling through Africa videotaping and documenting their trip.

We went to see "Blindside". The mother shrugs off the comments of her friends when they tell her she has made a huge difference in Michael's life with, "No, he's made a difference in mine".

I am really struggling with issues of giving outside my circle. Troubled about how to give time, money, energy, effort........ myself. Social Justice - the marginalized, the down trodden, the cast offs, homeless and addicted deserve care and a better life.

It would be helpful to talk with someone who has been involved closely, for more understanding. Send them my way if you know anyone.

There are so many questions. I deeply believe in grace - receiving what we don't deserve. I heartily believe in mercy - not getting what we do deserve. I want to have compassion and empathy along with unconditional love. We have received and experienced first hand all of the above - in so many ways from so many sources.

The sticky part is if I sincerely live like I believe in these principals, how does it all fit in with the reality of the natural law of sowing and reaping? If you plant a corn seed, you get a corn plant.......

How does it fit in with the natural law of consequences.? If you do this then, this is what happens......

My heart goes out to homeless people, especially in the winter. Being cold, dirty, stinky, without a bed to sleep in, no socks - it would be horribly difficult. The people I follow on Twitter who know, say food is the last thing they need. Give bus passes, phone cards, socks, rain ponchos, take their picture, help them do laundry, see them-look at them-talk with them, listen to their story.

Homeless shelters this year are overflowing. People stand in line all day for a bed at night. Many are turned away.

Part of me believes they want to live this way. It might not be true since I've never asked. They get a little money every month from social services along with food stamps. They wouldn't be turned away from a hospital. The hard, tough love part of me thinks, 'this is simply a natural consequence of their choices'.

[sound of gavel coming down hard]

Right now, there are hundreds of homeless gay young people dying in the SF Bay area from staff infection eating them alive. The video I watched didn't show the young man's face, but his sores were nasty, his voice so angry, blaming everyone and everything for his plight. What seemed like anger though, was probably raw fear.

Maybe I'm asking the wrong question. Maybe it's not about me/us making a difference, maybe taking action won't change any lives. I have a personal list of complete total failures to prove that one. What if it's me who needs them? Maybe I've always needed them and didn't know it before. Hmm.