Devotional 3-21-09

We stand on the opposite side of the fence a hundred yards or so from and facing what looks to be a small dumping ground for garbage. Black bags vomit broken white cups, stray papers, and more items hard to make out from our distance. Obvious though is that the area is a jumble of filth and trash surrounding a large flat black object resting on the cold concrete floor. My eighteen-year-old son yells, “Pokemon!” Before my mind can comprehend and adjust to what my eyes are witnessing he yells again. “Pokey…Pokey! Are you home?” My son had only told us we were going to visit Pokemon. He obviously had become used to seeing how this man lived and did not see the need to share more with us. As I watched the black mass on the ground start to rise, I felt a cold penetrate my soul that had nothing to do with the snow and ice around me. A figure struggled to sit up and shouted, “Give me a minute” as we stood mutely waiting. I have seen television programs depicting the homeless and I have seen my share of men and women walking the streets, but I was in no way prepared for the shock I felt watching this man rise from a mound of trash, waving his hand in greeting, while telling us he would be right there. I heard the crunch and pop of his shoes going through the icy snow as he limped awkwardly toward us with a huge smile on his worn face. He was layered in clothes with a hoodie on last, covering his head. He leaned over the fence to hug each of us and proceeded to tell us how glad he was to see us. He had met our son but had no idea who we were and it did not seem to matter. We were friends who cared enough to find him.

The back story on this homeless gentleman in short is that he has been living on the streets for several years by choice since the day his wife was killed. He will not go to a shelter. He will not go by his real name. He will accept food but not always. He keeps a Bible with him, and has a bike, but not much else. I guess some would say that he must be mentally ill, but it might also be called a broken heart. Some people just don't have the ability to mend for some reason. I think some of us truly are more fragile than others, and that is why we have to look out for each other.
Many people judge others for the messes that they have gotten themselves into and so do not think they should be helped. Mental illness, alcohol and drug addictions, and life changing circumstances are only a few of the reasons we have a homeless society. There is a big debate out there between those who know and those who think they know the right way to help the homeless. However, the fact remains that some can work on the root of the problem at the head of the river to discover why the homeless are falling into the water while others work on catching those who are already coming down stream and drowning.

Enabling and helping to me are two different things. There is a difference. I don't think it is our job to judge why they are in the situation they are in but only to love them. Giving someone an immediate smile, hug, pair of gloves or sandwich is saying, "Someone cares about you right now, here and now." No it doesn’t solve their problem, but it falls in line with I Corinthians 13:13 “…but the greatest of these is love.” We can show everyone love in some small fashion if only for a moment of time. We can give it freely with an open heart that does not judge but does what we are asked to do which is to love our neighbor whether he lives in a house or not.

“It doesn't matter whether we are doing great things for God but whether we are doing small things with great love." Mother Teresa

Barbara Lavalley
JM Preschool Teacher)

Mission Prayer and Response Focus:
March 20: Babies need lots of TLC, so give a nickel for every package of disposable diapers you have.