The Homeless

Please Note: YOU can help the in more ways than you know. You can contact your local Soup Kitchens, and your local agencies. Please help these unfortunate people, they have nowhere to go but on the streets, starving and cold. If we can help and donate to other countries, we surely can help and donate to our OWN country's homeless. There are a few links to help you get started below.

"You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." ~John Bunyan

Do You Recognize Me?

The dark night was bitterly cold. Icicles hung from the overhangs on the buildings like daggers ... there were the usual sounds of the city ... fast paced lives ... busy people running to and fro ... about their business.

He sat on the sidewalk backed up against the building. And they passed him by.

Oh, they noticed him ... how they but help notice him. He was not bundled up ... for he had no coat...

He just sat ... not begging for anything ... he just sat. And they passed him by.

It had been days since he had eaten anything. He watched as the crowds walked by with steaming cups of coffee in their hands.... He could not remember the last time he had sit at a table and drank a cup of hot coffee. He had found a half cup on a park bench and drank it. But it had been cold ... so cold.

He closed his eyes and let his mind drift back ... to a kitchen filled with laughter and the sound of his Mama's voice.

"You all come on and eat breakfast...homemade biscuits... eggs, grits and country ham. And I even cooked pancakes... hurry kids... "

He smiled as he remembered his Mama and her cooking. Nobody cooked like his Mama. But she was gone now... the house was gone too. No sign of that life left anymore.

And the he thought of the boardroom breakfasts that he had eaten. It had been his company. His world... but now the company had gone bankrupt making too many loans to people who had not paid him back... probably some of these very same folks that looked at him with utter disdain, shook their heads and walked on...

He remembered the woman who passed him by and said to her friend..."The city needs to clean up all this trash!"

Trash... she had called him. He had looked at her... and not said a word. For he remembered her. Oh, he looked a lot different now... with the beard and his graying hair... but he remembered her.

When he had been in high school, she had hounded him for a date. He was the Captain of the football team... but that was then... and this was now...

He pondered how fast life can change.

He had lived in the richest part of town...and drove the best cars...but due to a turn of events... he was now here...

His wife had divorced him when the money ran out... he had not heard from her in years...

There was no one...

It was then that he noticed someone... not quite visible though. He strained his eyes to see... there was such a light...

And such love...

He did not feel alone... and then two men and two ladies approached him...

"Can you BELIEVE how some people live...?" They gathered their coats around them as if the sight of him repulsed them..."

The older man spoke..."Mister, you better find a homeless shelter somewhere. It is supposed to drop below 10 degrees tonight."

One of the women spoke up, "Oh, come on. They like how they live or they would not be here."

And off they walked... the man turned around and started back and then as if the changed his mind, he caught up with his friends.

And it was then he heard a voice..."My son... they passed me by."

And he knew without a doubt, God was speaking to him.

"Lord, how did they pass you by. You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords... how did they pass you by?"

And then the answer came...

"They just did. They passed me by too. Just then."

For when they pass you by, they pass ME by.
When they ignore you or make fun of you, they are ignoring and making fun of Me too.
And when they go on... they walk on... but they walk on without me...

For as they do unto you... unto all my children who are in need... who are hungry or need clothing...
they do unto me..."

The next morning a policeman knelt down on the sidewalk... the man lay very still.
He checked his pulse and shook his head... The man was dead.

And unseen to the human eye ... the man who the policeman thought was lying on the sidewalk ... that real man was standing beside another figure ... one surrounded by total light and majesty. And God put his arm around him ... and said,

"Come on, son, We are going home. You are no longer homeless ... you are going home with ME..."

The snow started falling as the policeman called for help to come and get the dead man... the crowds passed by... some looked and some did not...

But in Heaven, the angels rejoiced... and welcomed the homeless man HOME.

(You say you want to know the Lord in a deeper way... you say you want to make a difference on this earth...You say you want your life to have purpose and meaning...You say you are a Christian... and that you walk with God...

I ask you...

       Have you passed the Lord on a busy street and did not see him?
       Have you turned your head as if to make it go away when you see homeless men and women living in boxes...?
       Have you taken off your coat and given it to someone who is cold?
       Have you stopped at mealtime and as you said thanks to the Lord...did you remember how it feels to be so hungry... how it feels to be so cold and alone?

       Have you passed Jesus by... you know He stands by the homeless... he waits for you to act... to show love... and compassion...
       Have you passed Jesus by... the man at bus stop who asked for a quarter?
       You may never know until you get to Heaven...
       You may never ... but the next time you see a homeless person... make sure you stop...

       You never know. Jesus might be standing close by...watching you... hoping you won't pass him by.

Marsha B. Smith

January 22, '05

Below are photos of just a handful of the homeless. You can help in more ways than you think. I have also included Links to where you can help. Please try.

"You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." ~John Bunyan

http://www.agrm.org/ideas.html

http://www.hud.gov/homeless/index.cfm

http://www.justgive.org/html/guide/50wayshomeless.html

"You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." ~John Bunyan

How Can You Help The Homeless?

By Gary Scott

http://student.bvsd.k12.co.us/schools/cent/Newspaper/feb95/Homeless_help-G.S.html

There are many homeless people all over the world. There are also many relief agencies willing to help them. The United Way and Salvation Army are just a couple of the agencies willing to help the people on the streets, but they can't do it alone. Not to sound like one of those commercials with Sally Struthers or some other celebrity advocate, but a car cannot run without gas. Without funding, the relief agencies would not be able to buy food, clothing, toys, or other essentials for homeless families. You and the government are two of the most important things to these agencies, and they depend a lot on both of you. If you see a advertisement for a relief agency, don't change the channel, write down the number. Admittedly, this will take the better part of thirty seconds to do, but I'm sure you have that time. Food drives are also an important way of helping out the poor. The canned food you give will help somebody get a good meal, and it might improve your conscience knowing that you've helped. All in all, there are so many ways to help, and a lot of them are so easy, you just have to care.

HOW CAN YOU HELP: