Do you give money to Bums?

I have offered to buy food and coffee but they have insisted on money, which I was not prepared to give.

 

A good friend of mine is the director of the local homeless shelter and I make donations to his organization for the needs of the poor. I have served some at the shelter, but I am claustrophobic and get very uncomfortable in a locked-down environment. (Because of the nature of the work, there are lots of gates and lock-down areas for the protection of the residents and volunteers in the event a resident starts to get out-of-control.) I have done jail ministries before, but I cannot get comfortable in places where I am confined. I can't even stand to have the sheets tucked under the mattress while I am in bed!

Instead of doing general work with the homeless at the shelter, I mentor a man in one of the other rescue missions. I take him to lunch every Saturday and we invest our lives in each other. He learns how to have normal conversations with others and learns things from me. I learn about his life and experiences and have my faith and understanding deepened. We also pray for each other and seek God together.

The one I am working with is nearing his time to transition out of the program and go see if he can reconcile with his wife and get his family back together. When that happens, God will send another person to me I'm sure.

 

I sure do. Every time I pay taxes.

 

Like it! Two thumbs way up!

Concerning the OP, yes I have occasionally given a couple of dollars to street beggars but my preferred technique is to give them my doggie bag of food as I'm going home from the restaurant. I figure cash might go to cigs or booze, but warm food will get eaten.

 

:laugh::laugh:

More :laugh::laugh:

 

I pass by “Jimmy” on my way to work. Sometimes he will ask for help getting a soft drink. I have given him $1 which he takes to the Subway restaurant for a drink.

Last week Jimmy, asked me for a dollar because the Subway couldn’t break the $100 bill that he had in his hand. He may be out of luck for a while.

 

First of all, I do not like the term "bum." That is a creation of God. Anyway, I have given individuals money on the side of the road or passing them in town. I really do not analyze the ten commandments and size up the percentage of chances of this person using my money to break them. If I feel lead to give to him or her, I do so, and will let the Lord and the person in need worry about how to deal with that.

For those who visit our church and obviously need help, at other times I have driven them to a grocery, or a motel and paid the bill there and left them with enough money for supper.

 

You don't like the term as it is used in reference to a poor,unemployed homeless person. But you freely use it on other people who are made in the image of God.

S/N :"bums like Limbaugh" 11/17/06

Of course you have used even more insulting language in reference to him showing your unChrist-like attitude.

 

Yeah, I wanted to say something like that. SN, I like you enough, but Rippon is absolutely right.

 

Well, Sn, you heard it yourself. That sure differs from your mantra that I am the "essence of evil" and other cute expressions you have reserved for me.