tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5617907369106630962.post6530639373130586815..comments2023-04-07T10:16:08.004-04:00Comments on just breathe janis (chapter 60): Homeless Facesjanishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18424946398926069813noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5617907369106630962.post-24342737958541647832010-01-17T21:30:06.274-05:002010-01-17T21:30:06.274-05:00I always hurt when I see pain in others but there ...I always hurt when I see pain in others but there is a special pain when it is the kids. I used to do some volunteer work for the Day Spring Center this is where you will see the kids. Young, hungry and scared it hurts to see them in a food line it is hard to turn away because they have done nothing wrong to be in this situation yet they are there. The bible says there will always be poor. Giving change to someone fixes nothing but spend a few minuets looking at the kids and I am always lost and hurt.<br /><br />MarkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5617907369106630962.post-20704083762055919812010-01-17T18:24:49.844-05:002010-01-17T18:24:49.844-05:00Thank you all for your comments. I am touched and...Thank you all for your comments. I am touched and feel the need to go a little deeper. Instead of responding here, I will post a part two.janishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18424946398926069813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5617907369106630962.post-12157091895565974272010-01-17T16:19:41.053-05:002010-01-17T16:19:41.053-05:00Thank you for sharing this thought-provoking piece...Thank you for sharing this thought-provoking piece, Janis. <br /><br />I agree it's troubling, how could one not agree with that, though at the same time my husband and I have often thought that we, as a society, need to get back to the basics of caring for our families and the personal responsibility that goes along with that. For instance, how many people are so caught up in their own business, or due to some misunderstanding, they no longer personally care for their aging parents, a brother or sister who has fallen on hard times, etc. <br /><br />In our family, we've taken a more "old-fashioned" point of view, perhaps a more traditional view - that we should be caring for each other. I have a sister who has continually had hard times, yet she knows that she will never be homeless because no matter what - we will take her in. <br /><br />My parents live next door to us and I will never put them in a home, or otherwise desert them, because they are my parents - they are not anyone elses responsibility - definitely not the government's responsibility - No, we view them as OUR responsibility and will care for them all the days of our lives. <br /><br />We are not rich - you've known me for a while here in the blogland :) - we live in a small 1400 square foot ranch, modest in size and price. Yet, we do what it takes to provide for our family. To me, that's what life is all about. <br /><br />Just a slightly different perspective on a troubling, sad subject. <br /><br />Love & Blessings,<br />LindaLindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03241010459789159870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5617907369106630962.post-38105388874877424552010-01-17T14:17:30.883-05:002010-01-17T14:17:30.883-05:00I don't give them money either. I'm unclea...I don't give them money either. I'm unclear that it would help anything.<br /><br />Someone wrote a book about the homeless some years ago in which she explains how disoriented people get when they never, not EVER, get a good night's sleep. She lived with the homeless for a year or something and at the end she was a total basket case. People who have some sort of problem just get so much worse when they have nowhere to live. <br /><br />When I see them here in DC, I want to gather them together and do a mass soul retrieval.Reya Mellickerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13076092659507965666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5617907369106630962.post-90999079625930525092010-01-17T12:16:19.154-05:002010-01-17T12:16:19.154-05:00I lived in Vegas for several years back in the 7o&...I lived in Vegas for several years back in the 7o's and 80's where there are alot of homeless and mostly due to the warm weather. There are many shelters there and I understand with the economy it is only going to get worse. My daughter still lives there and as you know I visit often. We also cannot not give them money so I try to serve in other ways. Last summer we actually had a homeless man that threw his sign at my vehicle. We were shocked....I'm guessing there is much new behavior that can be expected. I always remember them in my prayers.Zion Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11306621634684429685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5617907369106630962.post-16484715958434819852010-01-17T05:58:46.887-05:002010-01-17T05:58:46.887-05:00As you know my youngest has been in trouble recent...As you know my youngest has been in trouble recently but there is no way I'd not have him home. But he has several friends who have not gotten into trouble, as he has. whose parents have kicked them out. Usually as the new steparent doesn't like the adolescent male so out they go. My house is always open to my sons friends whether for a meal or a bed. I won't let anyone he knows sleep in their car when I have space.<br />But I agree with you we cannot give to everyone who needs help, we can only do what we can do and for all that is different. We just have to be okay with ourselves as to what we do. And that is enough for us.<br />xxFire Byrdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05477692359400671374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5617907369106630962.post-87387374242991511732010-01-17T00:38:08.981-05:002010-01-17T00:38:08.981-05:00Hi Janis, here in South Africa, homelessness (does...Hi Janis, here in South Africa, homelessness (does the word actually exists?) has become a way of life. Of course we do not have the extreme weather conditions you have there, but still it gets very cold in winter, too cold to sleep under a bridge. What I always wonder is where their families are. Surely if you have a brother, sister, aunt or whatever, who falls into dire straights, you help them. Then one day a friend who works with these people on a day to day basis explained that most of these people have burned their bridges where family is concerned. Families help for a long time but there always comes a time when even the family realises that the person does not really want to be helped and even they cut the ties. How sad is that and I often wonder where the blame then lays? Homeless is sad, but sometimes it is the preferred lifestyle! What really gets to me though is the homeless children!A human kind of humanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12944399986334367708noreply@blogger.com