Do you give money to Bums?

I do not give money. But I have given them food and I have bought them meals.

 

I don't give money to individuals, but I do give money to several rescue missions where people are fed and their needs met, including their need to hear the Gospel.

 

Our church has a food pantry. We generally feed 3-4 families a month depending on the need. We never give cash. On occasion we have put gas in someone's tank. All who darken the door hear the gospel. Those refusing food, go away empty handed.

 

When I was about 14 or 15 years old, a man who looked to be homeless approached me in front of a liquor store. He asked if I could give him a few dollars as he had not eaten in several days. I asked if he would buy booze with the money and he promised me he would not, but would use it to buy food. So, I gave him $3 which was a pretty good sum back then. He took the money and walked right into the liquor store.

I have been a little reluctant to give beggars money since then.

 

I am terribly glad that I have not encountered truely destitute persons, although occassionally they are in cities.

I live in a reasonably poor town, the hungry are fed through the churches where I have worked in a volunteer capacity, a sit down dinner with a main course of meat and veg, and a pudding after. There was fruit and tea and coffee.

Food parcels are available, and folk can receive assistance in money handling.

These services which include clothing are not government funded, but the social services provide a monetary dole.

I know my sister was appalled by the numbers of beggars when she was in the USA, notably in New York.

 

I don't give them cash, but refer them to our local co-op, which is a group of local churches that come together to collect food, etc, for the needy. Our Ladies Bible Study group collects food, etc, as one of our yearly projects, and many of us work in the co-op to help out.

 

I personally like the terminology "Bum". If they are attempting to work & be self sufficient, they arent bums...rather they are down on their luck.

A person who sponges off others or does dishonest things to take another's hard earned money you should appropriately be labeled a "Thief"

 

I ask if they finished their chores first. :laugh:

 

Years ago there was a fellow who would hold up a sign saying, Will work for food.

My friend Mike was painting his house, he stopped and told the fellow that if he would help him paint his house, he would not only feed him, but he would pay him a hourly wage too. The guy refused.

 

And was that in CT?

 

No, this was probably 20 years ago down in Jacksonville, Fla.. I moved from Jax to Ct. in 1989, but I stay in touch with Mike to this day, he is one of my best friends.

 

Who exactly is a bum?