Today's STUDIO TALK takes place outside of my studio on a Houston street. It was quite unexpected but I feel I was lead to make the decision to shop in my own neighborhood vs. another neighborhood for a reason.
Have you ever helped a homeless person? If so, what did you do?
Let's start a conversation.
Have a Creative Day, Y'All!
Oh my. 😥 How heartbreaking for Weston. And for you. As a caring person, I have helped others who have told me they’re homeless, although not as dramatically as you have. I have given money (because that’s what they asked for) and also drove a man one night from the train station to an apartment complex fairly far away (my adult son was in the car with me, otherwise I wouldn’t have done that alone). We also had a lost (and possibly high) young woman come to our home one evening, and we drove her, at her request, to the police station for help. But those actions barely scratch the surface of their needs.
ReplyDeleteI’ve found that I tend to become too emotionally involved with people. I want to help others, but not on a one-to-one basis. I can’t be everyone’s mom, or lifeline, or even friend. That’s why I do all my charity work at arm’s length in the form of giving funds or making quilts for people (and animals) here in Utah and helping Days for Girls and another humanitarian organization for young women in Kenya. I’ve made it my post-retirement “job” to help others in my way whenever I can. I just am trying to protect my heart in the process. I don’t know if that is right or not, but it’s what I am capable of. Bless you, Debra!
I certainly applaud your kind and giving heart Cathy! Everyone of us who tries to make a difference knows how far and how wide a net we can cast. Like you I've spent lots of years sewing quilts for those organizations dedicated to helping others.
DeleteI think every little gesture helps. We may not think we did much but we did something. Maybe the next person will do something more and then that ripple effect can carry a person along quite a distance.
My prayer is that we continue to do what we can with what we have for those we meet.
Thanks for your comments. I appreciate your contribution to the conversation, my Friend!
What a difficult thing it is - knowing what's the best help, where do you stop, how much do we give? Weston's case sounds like a true heart-breaker. You walked with him today, you had compassion on him, you rescued him from the street, you got him to a safe place. You took to heart what Christ said about being a stranger and being hungry and being in prison. You did what you could.
ReplyDeleteI'm the mother of someone who has been homeless, and would be right now, were it not for me.
ID is a number one issue! His is constantly lost, stolen, or destroyed in one way or another. A birth certificate costs me $50, so I finally ordered one I keep, and he can use it, but he hands it right back to me. You also have to have somewhere to send the ID. You get a paper copy, but the hard copy has to go to an address. Homeless people don't have an address. Every time, it costs money. You have to take your birth certificate, get the SS card, then take both to get the state photo ID. And there's that no-home-address thing. It's a vicious cycle.
If on top of other things, you have a handicap, such as the deafness, or a medical need, or an addiction, or a mental aberration, then you are stuck. You stay at places on the street, with others on the street, or you stay at places like Covenant House, but you have to leave again the next morning.
The place like that here is completely unsafe. People are mugged and beaten for their stuff - little or nothing. Our city police paid for bus tickets to send a bunch of people home ... but most of them wound up right back here in a short time. It's what they know, and where they start to feel comfortable. Hard for us to imagine. Yes, I have helped homeless people with food, money, clothing. Every one of them has a heart-breaking story. I see the problem, I don't know the answer.
You hit the nail on the head--I see the problem, I don't know the answer.
DeleteI certainly don't either. I just knew in that one moment when I saw that young man clinging to the street sign on a busy street that I needed to stop. The rest was my school teacher's approach to finding out information without being overly invasive & following through with some basic transportation.
My only regret is that I didn't have a quilt in the back of my SUV that I could give to him. Various times I have thought about putting some in there. I need to follow through with the idea.
Thank you for weighing in with your thoughts Susan. I knew you would have excellent points to add to the conversation.
Your heart is forever reaching to brighten another’s heart. Thank you for helping this young man, still shaking my head over no one else reaching out to him ....sadly true. You however did and because God’s light leads you , Weston got the help from you. You lead him away from possible harm. My prayer this mornin* was for Weston and over coming obstacles that no doubt lay ahead for him and so many homeless in the area. God bless you !
ReplyDeleteThank you Susanne! You know how busy Hwy 6 is during all times of the day. Can you imagine trying to stay on one of the dividers in the 96+ degree weather. I hope Weston can move forward; even if it is just a little bit. At least he is not stranded out in West Houston with no resources for help.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and adding your comments to the conversation! Come by again! It's fun to be sharing on my blog. :-)