Today was my wife's last day of holidays and I had a strong urge to go to McDonalds for a coffee. We have been switching to this coffee from Tim Hortons as it does seem to taste better. My wife never wants to stay there and wants to pick up the food and go home. Today I asked that we go inside and stay to feed my "orange" adventure personality.
As we are eating, I see a man that is always on the street corner by our house who has one of them signs asking for money because " he is hungry". It is so uncomfortable to drive by and not make eye contact eh? It is so good on the conscience to say " why can't he get a job, why does he have to do that?". I'm not hiding my real person to you who thought I was so giving etc. I'm okay with giving to charity on my terms, which I learned a lesson of today.
As we sat there, I see this man come in and search his pockets for something so he could order. He pulled out a free coffee coupon and bought himself a muffin with change. We both felt that we could buy him breakfast so I went over and asked him. The human part of us gets uncomfortable to go talk to a street person where he does not appear to belong. It takes courage and belief in what one is doing to come out of their comfort zone. I ask him if he wants anything and he says no.
I go back to my table very humbled that this man did not want anything. I have asked before and have been denied the opportunity to give. My wife shares that her Joyce Meyer daily APP on her phone, talks on doing things for the poor and less fortunate and not just saying " Jesus Loves you" etc. It says God will reward us back if we do this for them. We are suppose to give to the poor, oppressed, and widows.
As we leave, this man follows us out. He asks us for bus money to go to court for his fines. He says that he was fined hundreds of dollars for panhandling on the street corner. What a waste of tax payer money to fine this man who can't pay. He goes to jail for a week for unpaid fines and the community pays 100 + dollars a day instead of what they could do. That's another story.
We ask him what his story is. Too often we just buy them off and feel good about ourselves, thinking we just bought some points for heaven. Unfortunately God does not grant access to heaven based on our works but fortunately we just need to believe. This man tells us his name is Sydney. He instantly becomes human, not just another panhandler. He tells us he is 45 years old and can not work due to years of substance abuse. He was an alcoholic and almost died and had a stroke. He has a pain in his arm that prevents him from working because of the stroke. He takes morphine because of this pain. Sydney is honest and tells us straight up. I don't judge for once because of his use of drugs.
Sydney's main party of his story is that his mother never wanted him or liked him. His mother had him out of an affair and he was a mistake he says. It was not a poor me story. He shares how he was unplanned and that he was treated different than his siblings. He shares how she has resentment to him and didn't love him the same. He was loved by his father for a bit but he died and he had little contact. He did not feel worthy or accepted. His big word was accepted. His dad before he died wanted him to be sober and he was for 2 years before he died. He fell off the wagon when his dad died. His dad told him that of all his children, he wanted him to be the sober one. Sydney says he has 2 children who he loves and is fond of and wants a home that they can come visit him. He shares that he lives behind a dumpster in the winter by the Superstore and in the woods during the summer. I ask him if he is tired of this way of life and maybe its time for something different.
Sydney states that he has been talking to a church lady from Castledowns who is very loving and he adopted her as his mom. He shared how she talks about God and tries to help him. I am so glad that there is christians out there who actually practise love.
In the end, we learn of a loving man who likes to give to others less fortunate than him on the street. He likes to share what extra he has to others on the street. He has nothing and yet he finds something to give. We have so much in our lives and are still too "broke" to give.
We drive him instead of taking the bus to downtown for his court. We say a prayer for him and glad that this man learned us a lesson on life. We were blessed by him and he taught us that we always have something to give no matter our circumstances.
Afterwards I drive home and go to this Macs store. There is a sign there that says " Feed charities, not panhandlers". It reminds me of the message against these people called the Pharisees in the good book who made their own rules. However, they forgot about human interaction and love. Its easy to feel good about giving to charity and not having to interact with the Sydneys. We are not good Samaritans by not doing anything and staying in our comfort zone. I am guilty!
As we drive home, we see a lady passed out on 101 st from downtown on the sidewalk. Hundreds of cars are driving by. Where the **** is the help getting this lady off the street as we all just drive by thinking it's normal. One of you posted a facebook story about a dead body by the bus stop and nobody did anything for hours. Thanks to that story, I had to go back and ask her if she was alive and okay. My wife learns her name is Gloria and that she wants water. Well we get her the water where I seen that sign on the store and laugh inside. Now do you see the part about humanity? My wife talks to her a few moment and she is so sweet. My wife ends up giving Gloria her favorite hoody because she wants something to cover her head when she sleeps.
So before anyone gets offended, I believe in giving to charities of course. I guess I don't believe in giving to panhandlers either if I don't want to take the few moments to hear of their story and buy off my conscience.
