Speaking With the Homeless

[TitusTwoWife]

Some of the homeless Ive spoken to are the Ravens of the field. They depend on God for everything they receive.

One homeless man said, "Im grateful God woke me up this morning." This humble statement wrecked me emotionally.

So many blessings Im holding yet I still complain at times as if it isn't enough.

There are many God fearing homeless people that God takes care of through charitable acts of willing neighbors.

Rather than me simply doing them a favour in giving, they often do far more for my spirit in return.

 

[Nathaniel]

Some of the homeless Ive spoken to are the Ravens of the field. They depend on God for everything they receive.

One homeless man said, "Im grateful God woke me up this morning." This humble statement wrecked me emotionally.

So many blessings Im holding yet I still complain at times as if it isn't enough.

There are many God fearing homeless people that God takes care of through charitable acts of willing neighbors.

Rather than me simply doing them a favour in giving, they often do far more for my spirit in return.

Not all of the homeless ended up that way through alcohol or drugs etc. As you surely know.

Many of them simply fell through the cracks, lost job, totaled car, raise in the rent or other unforseen expenses.

And many more of them were led there by God, to come out of the system and trust Him. For many of those, their situation is an answer to prayer, the make me more like Christ kind of prayers, as opposed to the bless me, bless me prayers which are so common in our times.

Ministering to the homeless has it's challenges, and it's hard to feel at the end of the day that you have accomplished anything. But we truly have no idea just how much a meal or a bottle of water or even just a few kind words can deeply effect someone's life for the sake of the Gospel.

 

[Pearl]

I was put off giving to homeless people by seeing a man who lived near me begging in town with a 'homeless' sign in front of him.

But earlier this year during a vwey warm spell God told me to give water to somebody; and then on Pentecost Sunday a man came to my door and asked me to fill his thermos flask with boiling water. I did and subsequently discovered he is homeless and squatting in an empty house nearby.

I'd been doing it for around three weeks but my son wasn't too happy about it and I promised to stop doing it. I did for a week but felt so bad and unsettled that after praying about it I started filling his flask again and my peace was restored.

He's call Rob and during the warm weather I made him cups of tea a couple of times and sat on my bench with him and found out more about him. When he first came he looked like an old man as he has a full white beard, but chatting to him I discovered he is only 52.

Although I don't know the reason he is homeless I believe in treating him with dignity as if it was my own son in that position.

That same week I met Rob we were having some extremely high temps and i ended up giving bottles of water or cans of cola or lemonade to the delivery drivers.
.

 

[Pathfinder789]

I was involved in 'Homeless ministry'...years ago.
---
I learned why/how they became homeless.
- Financial, family issues..etc.
---
Interesting to note..
Some of homeless were from 'affluent area.'
---
I asked them..
"Why coming here? You might get help better from there.."
They told me.." Not much help..from there."

 

[Debp]

When I used to go downtown there was a very cheerful, older man with no legs in a wheelchair. He would have a cup I think for donations. But he never asked for money. But he would continually tell people "God bless you" and "have a nice day" as they passed by.

So because he was so pleasant and that impressed me, I started to talk with him a bit every time I saw him. After awhile I didn't see him anymore and I kept wondering about him.

Finally one day I saw him again and asked where he had been. He said he had caught pneumonia. But he said a homeless organization had found him an apartment so he wasn't on the streets anymore. He was glad they helped him to get an apartment. Never saw him again but I always remember him.

 

[SavedInHim]

Some of the homeless Ive spoken to are the Ravens of the field. They depend on God for everything they receive.

One homeless man said, "Im grateful God woke me up this morning." This humble statement wrecked me emotionally.

So many blessings Im holding yet I still complain at times as if it isn't enough.

There are many God fearing homeless people that God takes care of through charitable acts of willing neighbors.

Rather than me simply doing them a favour in giving, they often do far more for my spirit in return.

Speaking as one who was homeless for several years I can attest that what you say is true. It's truly a humbling experience; it helped me trust the Lord more than ever before. It's not something I'd want to remain in forever though; it's a pretty tough life. Your life is almost totally controlled by others. They tell you where you can sleep and where you can't. If you go to a shelter, they control every move you make: what time to check in, when to go to sleep, when to get up, how long you can take in the shower. And even if you are benefiting spiritually, there are many people out there who look down on the homeless which makes your life even harder.

 

[Lambano]

Your life is almost totally controlled by others. They tell you where you can sleep and where you can't. If you go to a shelter, they control every move you make: what time to check in, when to go to sleep, when to get up, how long you can take in the shower.

I've talked to a few street people, and two cited this as the major reason they prefer to be out on the street rather than having to follow the rules in the Rescue Mission.

 

[Lambano]

One homeless man said, "Im grateful God woke me up this morning." This humble statement wrecked me emotionally.

So many blessings Im holding yet I still complain at times as if it isn't enough.

Our church provides weekly breakfast and showers for the local homeless. During Sunday morning prayer time, our program coordinator will publicly pass on their prayer requests. Everything from prayers of gratitude that God cares for them to requests for jobs and housing to getting a loved-one off drugs...

It IS humbling.

 

[Grailhunter]

Giving to the homeless is the simple act of charity. Most of the time there is no expectation of helping them not to be homeless. It hard for most to understand that most of them want to be homeless. They don't want or cannot handle responsibility and they do not want to follow rules, not even in a homeless shelter. The money you give them odds are, are going to be spent on drugs. I have stopped on occasion and offered them food, but they want money.
Had a church group that was planning on going to one these homeless communities to give them blankets and clothes and food....the police told them not to. Drugs, mental illness, criminals on the run, and some take offense to charity feeling like it is pity.
But still it is good to give.....and the right thing to do.....but caution is advised even though sometimes it just normal people down on their luck.....just be careful.
Walmart is a popular place for those with signs. One time I was at a Walmart and parked while my daughter was shopping. It was snowing pretty heavy and I watched this older lady standing out in the snow with a sign asking for money. Her son was parked not too far away in a newer SUV and she would go and warm up when she got cold. Sometimes it is a scam.

 

[SavedInHim]

I've talked to a few street people, and two cited this as the major reason they prefer to be out on the street rather than having to follow the rules in the Rescue Mission.

Even if you're out on the street you can't escape rules. If it's not the police harassing you, it's someone else. There was this one overpass where people I knew called home. Every so often the city would come through and clear everyone out. If your stuff was there unattended, they just took it and threw it out. There's no rest for the homeless.

 

[Lambano]

Even if you're out on the street you can't escape rules. If it's not the police harassing you, it's someone else. There was this one overpass where people I knew called home. Every so often the city would come through and clear everyone out. If your stuff was there unattended, they just took it and threw it out. There's no rest for the homeless.

I talked to a homeless lady named "Lisa" who used to panhandle down by the big church on Main Street. She told me she was living in a homeless camp under the freeway overpass a couple of blocks away. Her biggest complaint was that as a woman, the men in the camp were always trying to "put their hands on her". Another occupational hazard of being homeless.

I later saw in the local newspaper that Lisa had died. The church had wanted to make sure Lisa's story got told, and the reporter did a half page about Lisa's life. She'd been estranged from her family for years. When she got sick, the church did what they could to get her medical care. You can only do so much. When she died, the church gave her a decent funeral. Not many of her family came. Sad.

 

[Lambano]

Giving to the homeless is the simple act of charity. Most of the time there is no expectation of helping them not to be homeless. It hard for most to understand that most of them want to be homeless. They don't want or cannot handle responsibility and they do not want to follow rules, not even in a homeless shelter. The money you give them odds are, are going to be spent on drugs. I have stopped on occasion and offered them food, but they want money.
Had a church group that was planning on going to one these homeless communities to give them blankets and clothes and food....the police told them not to. Drugs, mental illness, criminals on the run, and some take offense to charity feeling like it is pity.

We stayed in a hotel near Balboa Park in San Diego. There was a one-page laminated city brochure in the room informing us that we would meet a lot of the un-housed in the park. It specifically said to NOT give them money; we have resources and processes in place to help anyone willing to accept it. If you want to help, donate money to one of the shelters listed below. It's okay to give them a bottle of water. Food is not necessary; we've got that covered.

 

[Grailhunter]

We stayed in a hotel near Balboa Park in San Diego. There was a one-page laminated city brochure in the room informing us that we would meet a lot of the un-housed in the park. It specifically said to NOT give them money; we have resources and processes in place to help anyone willing to accept it. If you want to help, donate money to one of the shelters listed below. It's okay to give them a bottle of water. Food is not necessary; we've got that covered.

Supposedly California received enough money help every homeless person $80,000. They cannot show that any of it went to the homeless.

 

[SavedInHim]

It hard for most to understand that most of them want to be homeless.

That's an unfortunate stereotype. There are those type of homeless people but to say "most" of them want to be homeless simply isn't true.

 

[Grailhunter]

That's an unfortunate stereotype. There are those type of homeless people but to say "most" of them want to be homeless simply isn't true.

Don't take it from me, talk to the people that actually work with them.
Does a drug addict want not to be a drug addict?
Do they wish they could be responsible and follow rules?
How many wish they could hold a job?
There are homeless shelters but a lot of them won't go to them.

Now I am big on charity and through my life I have talked to them and I have gotten a lot of stories. Some of them funny. There was a car pulled over to the side of the road and I noticed he was an elderly man so I stopped and ask if he was OK.
He said, I am out of gas.
I asked, Do you want me to take you somewhere to get gas?
He said, I don't have any money.
I asked, Where are you from?
He said, Dallas.
I asked, Where you going?
He said, Chicago.
I said, And you left without money for Gas?
He said, Yeap,
I said, Sounds like a plan.

 

[Grailhunter]

I talked to a homeless lady named "Lisa" who used to panhandle down by the big church on Main Street. She told me she was living in a homeless camp under the freeway overpass a couple of blocks away. Her biggest complaint was that as a woman, the men in the camp were always trying to "put their hands on her". Another occupational hazard of being homeless.

I later saw in the local newspaper that Lisa had died. The church had wanted to make sure Lisa's story got told, and the reporter did a half page about Lisa's life. She'd been estranged from her family for years. When she got sick, the church did what they could to get her medical care. You can only do so much. When she died, the church gave her a decent funeral. Not many of her family came. Sad.

Sometimes you do not know what to do. Sometimes doing anything can get you in trouble. I was pulling out of gas station and saw a young girl siting against the building with a back pack. When I got close I could see she barely had enough clothes on to cover her and she was bare foot. So I got out and talked to her. As it turned out she was 15 years old and had run away from home because her parents would not let her take drugs. I asked if her parents were abusive. She said, No.
What was I to do? There was no way I was going to let an attractive half naked 15 year old in my truck. How many ways could that go south? So I gave her 20 dollars and called a State Trooper friend of mine.

 

[ScottA]

Some of the homeless Ive spoken to are the Ravens of the field. They depend on God for everything they receive.

One homeless man said, "Im grateful God woke me up this morning." This humble statement wrecked me emotionally.

So many blessings Im holding yet I still complain at times as if it isn't enough.

There are many God fearing homeless people that God takes care of through charitable acts of willing neighbors.

Rather than me simply doing them a favour in giving, they often do far more for my spirit in return.

Bless you!

However, when things become unavoidably in our face...God usually has a reason behind it. Not unlike the whole rainbow pride scene which has been God reminding us of His promise not to destroy the earth ever again by water (because He is now doing it now with Holy fire), the homeless scene is also God speaking.

The homeless messaged from God--is that it's everywhere, epidemic.

How should we understand that? Where is our "home?" In the city, in the country, in the woods or on the plains? In heaven? The scriptures tell of only two possible eternal home locations: heaven or hell (eternal life, or eternal damnation).

So, how are we to understand the message? The homeless don't have a good and secure home, and the numbers are increasing. In heavenly terms, that would mean an increasing number of people do not have a good and secure home in heaven. What does that mean to us that do? It means we are failing to help increase the numbers that do have a good and secure home in heaven.

So...this is Report Card day...and we get an F. From God.

Society gets its own F for creating an environment where homelessness is growing. Hell--we have even considered it to be an acceptable "lifestyle." Well, that's on us too--'cause it's not. It's not acceptable.

As for the Church, we ought to be seeing the signs as from God, and teaching and preaching to change the course of things. That is the definition of "repent"--we need to repent for our part in all this...and "sin no more."

What does that look like? It looks like taking and making no measures to "enable" homelessness to be considered an acceptable lifestyle...and it looks like teaching and preaching the metaphor of homelessness as a "state of the Church" message, and a call to repentance--altering the "enabling" measures within the church, within the Christian life. That message? Is that heavenly homelessness is possible--but should not be considered an option.

 

[Debp]

Supposedly California received enough money help every homeless person $80,000. They cannot show that any of it went to the homeless.

Yes the LAHSA (city homeless program) was found to have defrauded the Federal government out of multi millions of dollars meant for the homeless. That's why President Trump wants to give the money to faith based programs that actually work to help people.

Like the Dream Center ministry...all sorts of programs, rehab, food, shelter, etc.
They have been doing this for at least thirty years in Los Angeles.

Don't take it from me, talk to the people that actually work with them.
Does a drug addict want not to be a drug addict?
Do they wish they could be responsible and follow rules?
How many wish they could hold a job?
There are homeless shelters but a lot of them won't go to them.

Now I am big on charity and through my life I have talked to them and I have gotten a lot of stories. Some of them funny. There was a car pulled over to the side of the road and I noticed he was an elderly man so I stopped and ask if he was OK.
He said, I am out of gas.
I asked, Do you want me to take you somewhere to get gas?
He said, I don't have any money.
I asked, Where are you from?
He said, Dallas.
I asked, Where you going?
He said, Chicago.
I said, And you left without money for Gas?
He said, Yeap,
I said, Sounds like a plan.

I knew a lady that succumbed back into alcohol and became homeless because she nearly burned her apartment down. Every time she ended up in the hospital they would place her in a nursing home to recover. The social worker would try to find a nice halfway house for her. But she didn't want to go to a halfway house....she went back on the streets. Eventually died I think as she disappeared.

 

[Wick Stick]

Some of the homeless Ive spoken to are the Ravens of the field. They depend on God for everything they receive.

One homeless man said, "Im grateful God woke me up this morning." This humble statement wrecked me emotionally.

So many blessings Im holding yet I still complain at times as if it isn't enough.

There are many God fearing homeless people that God takes care of through charitable acts of willing neighbors.

Rather than me simply doing them a favour in giving, they often do far more for my spirit in return.

Your experience is a lot more positive than mine.

I volunteered weekly for what? about 15 months? What I found was that most of the unhoused were either mentally ill or addicted to drugs. Theft and assault were considered normative.

Closing the mental hospitals in America was a terrible mistake.

 

[Wick Stick]

Food is not necessary; we've got that covered.

In my experience, toiletries and socks are more needed than food. A lot of the homeless I worked with were very overweight - the result of a cheap diet full of bread things and starches.