Posted by
prying1 on Monday, November 13, 2006 11:19:26 AM
In this posting, I write a remembrance from the 80's.
A
mile from our church is a park that had become a hangout for "Urban
Campers". Some might call them homeless. A few people from our church
decided to do something for these poor folks so one Saturday they
dragged a couple bar-b-ques down there and set up a huge picnic for
them.
Huge success.
These folks were so grateful for
the delicious meal and were very friendly and quite a few were
receptive to the Word of God that these good Christians were sharing
with them. All were invited to the church the following day.
The
following day (Sunday) none of them made it the mile away to the church
service perhaps because they didn't know where the church was or felt
they would be out of place amongst all them 'fine church folks'.
The
following Saturday with each meal served assurances were given they
would be welcome to come to the church service the following day.
Perhaps connections could be made for jobs etc...
None showed up.
~~~~~~~
However,
during the following week quite a few people come by asking for help.
They really needed/wanted money but seemed satisfied to take a bag of
groceries each. The next week even more came for 'help'.
I
believe it was a Wdnesday that one man came by as Mitch, our church
custodian, was finishing up some gardening. He was approached by this
man who asked if there was somthing that the church could do for his
predicament.
Homeless and hungry...
Mitch said the man
would have to wait a bit while he finished what he was doing. As Mitch
coiled hoses and put away the gardening equipment the man sat and
patiently waited. He was so patient he did not feel the need to hurry
Mitch up in his work by lending a hand. He just patiently waited for
Mitch to finish.
After the gardening tools were put away Mitch
led the man to a paint shed and explained that the church would be
happy to give him food and some pay if he would help with just a bit of
painting.
The man got irate and after a few choice words that
sailors use normally outside of earshot of ladies he left without
getting a bag of groceries.
The word must have spread pretty
quickly because the beautiful people requesting help from out little
church thinned out to nothing in two days time. None would lift their
hand to paint or garden. None showed up for the next Sunday service
either...
~~~~~
This was written in response to a blogpost by Norm Weatherby.
-
- - I am not against charity and I'm pretty sure Norm is not
either. What I am against is enabling people asking for handouts so
they don't have to work. I could write more on this but I think this
posting along with that of Quantum Thought's is 'nuff said'...
Please take a minute to visit and read Norm's story through the link above...
Paul - prying1
~~~~~~
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