How To Help The Homeless - A Hand Up Not A Hand Out
Posted: Monday, August 04, 2008
by Mark Parsec
Wordcasters
With the current foreclosure crisis, bank seizures, spiraling price of gasoline and ever escalating cost of living, people are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. So, what happens when they don't make ends meet? What happens when they can no longer pay their mortgage, or their rent, or their car payments? Suddenly, untold thousands of people have found themselves homeless.
In my town the homeless have found refuge along the banks of the
Homeless… think about that word for a moment. Say it slowly to yourself. H O M E L E S S. Think about what it means. No place to call your own. No place to shower, to sleep, to eat or find shelter from the elements. No place to find safety when others threaten you. No place to go to the bathroom.
God, in His infinite wisdom, has placed me in a position where I have been called into ministering to homeless people. I have worked with them for approximately seven years now. And guess what? They are people, like you and I. They have feelings, and hopes, and dreams, and fears. They laugh and they cry. They have had… families, jobs, homes, cars, and all the things that so many of us take for granted.
The one thing they must have is the very thing that many of them lose. It is the last thing to go. HOPE. After they lose hope the end is near. Sadly, many of them come to a point in their lives where there has been so much pain and sorrow that the end is the only thing to look forward to. I cannot tell you how many homeless people that I have worked with have died. Only, too many.
So, what are we as a compassionate, understanding and generous nation supposed to do? How can we help them? What can we do?
Unfortunately, there are many people who think that they are helping the homeless by providing them with "hand outs". And although a hamburger or a bar of soap, or some clean underwear brings comfort… it only prolongs the suffering. The homeless don't benefit from hand outs. That is not what they need. What they do need is a hand up!
A wise man once said, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for life." In this case education is needed by both the homeless and those who wish to help them. If we are to provide help for the homeless we must begin by understanding the dynamics of homelessness. They are not all alcoholics or addicts. But, there is a good chance that many of them can become addicted if they do not get the guidance, direction and support they need.
More than anything else homeless individuals have experienced trauma. If loosing one's home is not trauma enough these individuals have the compounded trauma of falling prey to violent predators. In short order many homeless people become the victims of rape, robbery, beatings and every imaginable atrocity, only adding insult to their injuries and stretching the capacity of endurance and sanity to the snapping point.
Homeless people need assessment, for they each have a unique situation. Most all of them need counseling; someone who can take the time to listen to the story, someone who can help them sort through the insanity of what has happened in their life, someone who can give them direction and hope.
Hope! That is the thing that the homeless need. Not hand outs. Not mosquito repellant. Not a couple of dollars so they can go get a beer and numb the pain. They need HOPE… and that hope is provided through validation that they are valuable human beings. Validation that their feelings matter too. Validation that their dreams are just as important as anyone else's. Hope for the homeless is provided when we validate the humanity of those who have lost their dignity.
You see, helping the homeless is an inside job. We have to see past the filth and the stench and the fear that we could somehow be infected by them. For that is the real issue; the fear that we could somehow, someday end up in the same situation as them. It scares some people so much that they refuse to see it for what it is. "That will NEVER happen to me!" they say.
I have met homeless people that had been university graduates, business owners, police officers and social workers. It can happen to anyone at any time. It can happen to me and it can happen to you. The security that we have in the homes in which we reside is a gift from God, that is all.
If you discover a homeless person acknowledge their humanity. Validate their participation in the human race. Don't give them a hand out. Because when you do that you are enabling them, you are making the homeless condition more tolerable. You are depriving them of the opportunity to see the way out. Instead, show them where they can go to change their life. Maybe they need to go to a detox center. Maybe they need rehabilitation. Maybe they need mental health care. Maybe they need medication. Maybe they need just a few dollars… then show them where they can rake leaves, take out trash or pull weeds and get paid for it. If they really want to change their life and get out of their homeless situation then they will do whatever it takes to improve their life. This is contingent upon their ability, of course.
The best source of homeless rehabilitation I have ever found is a healthy relationship with God. Many homeless people are agnostic or atheists. Many are angry at God. Many feel that God is angry at them and punishing them. They need to learn the grace and mercy and love of God. They need to discover the power of being forgiven. They need to learn that shame and guilt and remorse can all be lifted from them. So, if you really want to help a homeless person then find a way for them to become disciples of Jesus Christ… then watch what happens.
If you know someone who doesn't have any clothes or food, you shouldn't just say, "I hope all goes well for you. I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat." What good is it to say this, unless you do something to help? - James 2:15-16
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Powerful Mark! I have seen the same as you have of course, and my heart has definitely been changed by the experiece. Validation and education for the homeless is vital. Thank you for all you do! God bless you.Thank you, Michelle. We have four more homeless people lined up for placement into recovery centers this week. Praise the Lord! Please keep them in your prayers.
Enjoyed your article, did find a mistake in paragraph starting with I have metyour word happy needs to be changedThanks, Jeff. I will correct the mistake.
I liked much of what you had to say, but I tire at "One Step" recovery.How do you bring them to the Son when they do not believe in the Father?How can they feel the Love of Jesus when they fear his Father?How can they turn their lives over to Jesus when they think the Father is out to get them? I agree that they need to find Jesus, but often it is our light that shows them the way? I know you know everything I wrote here, but I did not see it in your article.Thank you, Jeff. You are absolutely right. It is not a one step program to recovery for homeless individuals. Thanks for pointing that out. That would make another great article that emphasizes that point.
Yes, Mark, the homeless need acknowledgement and not a hands out. Years ago, before I married, I volunteered every summer at the St. Francis Soup Kitchen in Kessington Philadelphia -- Thinking I was going to "bring Jesus to them" I was embarrassed by my initial reaction of disgust - I didn't want to be near any of them. Within days, the irony was that God had worked in me through them and when I left I cried and hugged the many homeless I served --It was humbling and an eye-opener and I knew "There but for the grace of God could be me" and never forget that. It's true, the homeless come from all walks of life; educated, family people, etc. I believe things happen when we are real and not give empty meaningless words - Great article, Mark!Thank you, Judy. I appreciate the fact that you have a personal knowledge of the subject from working with the homeless. You understand the compassion and feelings that are involved when serving these REAL people. God bless you for your selflessness.
Great job Mark! These are very helpful tips and they make so much sense. I have learned alot while going to our local mission once a month. These women come from all types of backgrounds. Most of them are hungry for acceptance and grace. What a previlege to be the hand of God without judgment.Thanks, Teresa. Isn't it a blessing to be used by God to help those who are worse off than ourselves? God bless you.
Hi, Mark. On top of losing a job, a person's homeless sitution can develop due to broken family ties. Many homeless individuals have broken family relationships that lead them to believe they cannot go home or would be criticized or judged if they have failed. They keep their troubles, failures, disappointments and their entire lives separate and secret from family. On the other hand, many do have families that are judgmental or rejecting.Thanks for an informative article. God bless you in your work.Hi, Jane! You are absolutely right. I have dealt with many women, as well as men, who have left abusive relationships, or who have been abandoned. Thank you for your comments. And, by the way, I would like to invite you to join my fan club. I'm on my way to sign up on yours right now! God bless you.
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