He's gone, and I just don't get it.

Glaucus

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I haven't heard from my homeless friend for a couple of days. I went to the motel I have him at and he's gone. The owners said he's been gone for a couple of days. He had another 10 days or so paid for already. I had a job lined up for him. But he's gone. I really don't get it. He was warm, fed, and was on his way to an income. I guess it's hard for some people to leave their lifestyle behind. Tonight we pray for John.
 

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Hi Glaucus, I once found a man lying on the sidewalk downtown who was looking for help up, and for something to eat. He was willing to have a meal with me, but when I mentioned a free facility that we have here in town called Tender Mercies (which is a home for the homeless, giving them a place to sleep, to bathe, to eat, and to get off the streets), sadly, he wanted nothing to do with it (as there was room for him at that time).

"Homeless" is a "chosen" lifestyle for some :(

Praying for your friend.
 
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Well, on the contrary, it's quite plausible that he has chosen the life of a bum willingly and actually enjoys it. The idea of being cared for by good people such as yourself is just one of the various perks a homeless person gets to enjoy. Consider this factoid..

Statistically speaking, a homeless person can earn minimum wage simply from holding out a cup and a sign asking for change via standing on a busy street or corner.

Understand that the money from generous kind people is what makes living life as a bum a reality. Tax free money to buy the simplest of ingredients needed to survive as a human being. The freedom is what most homeless people appreciate. The adventure and more importantly the high probability of being fed that day without having to work for it because we live in a nation where religion dictates to love thy neighbor.
 
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~Anastasia~

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I haven't heard from my homeless friend for a couple of days. I went to the motel I have him at and he's gone. The owners said he's been gone for a couple of days. He had another 10 days or so paid for already. I had a job lined up for him. But he's gone. I really don't get it. He was warm, fed, and was on his way to an income. I guess it's hard for some people to leave their lifestyle behind. Tonight we pray for John.
Prayers for him. I won't pretend to guess why he might have left. What is good is that you clothed, fed, and cared for "the least of these my brethren". May you be spiritually blessed.
 
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~Anastasia~

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Well, on the contrary, it's quite plausible that he has chosen the life of a bum willingly and actually enjoys it. The idea of being cared for by good people such as yourself is just one of the various perks a homeless person gets to enjoy. Consider this factoid..

Statistically speaking, a homeless person can earn minimum wage simply from holding out a cup and a sign asking for change via standing on a busy street or corner.

Understand that the money from generous kind people is what makes living life as a bum a reality. Tax free money to buy the simplest of ingredients needed to survive as a human being. The freedom is what most homeless people appreciate. The adventure and more importantly the high probability of being fed that day without having to work for it because we live in a nation where religion dictates to love thy neighbor.
Welcome to CF and to TAW, btw. :)

Please let us know if you have any questions about the forums or need any help.

God be with you!
 
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Glaucus

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Well, on the contrary, it's quite plausible that he has chosen the life of a bum willingly and actually enjoys it. The idea of being cared for by good people such as yourself is just one of the various perks a homeless person gets to enjoy. Consider this factoid..

Statistically speaking, a homeless person can earn minimum wage simply from holding out a cup and a sign asking for change via standing on a busy street or corner.

Understand that the money from generous kind people is what makes living life as a bum a reality. Tax free money to buy the simplest of ingredients needed to survive as a human being. The freedom is what most homeless people appreciate. The adventure and more importantly the high probability of being fed that day without having to work for it because we live in a nation where religion dictates to love thy neighbor.
Animal Planet and Discovery Channel provide enough adventure. Ha!
 
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Willie T

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As Anastasia can verify for you, the denomination I belong to probably directly engages with homeless people more than almost any other. One thing we have learned to accept is that Jesus called us to help them, not to expect that they are all going to gladly give up that lifestyle. Someone said on here that many of them deliberately choose that lifestyle. And, I think it's true.

You simply help. It does us no good to have certain expectations of them.
 
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Glaucus

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As Anastasia can verify for you, the denomination I belong to probably directly engages with homeless people more than almost any other. One thing we have learned to accept is that Jesus called us to help them, not to expect that they are all going to gladly give up that lifestyle. Someone said on here that many of them deliberately choose that lifestyle. And, I think it's true.

You simply help. It does us no good to have certain expectations of them.
I wouldn't say I had certain expectations of him. I simply wanted to help him become stable and safe, and more than anything I'm sad.
 
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~Anastasia~

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Sigh .....

PLEASE don't do this. I know you are new. Both of you are VISITORS to our congregational forum. We are happy to have folks post in fellowship. We don't need debates started.

I think Willie T was trying to be helpful to the OP.

Thank you for your consideration.

~Anastasia~
CF Senior Ambassador
 
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mark kennedy

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I wouldn't say I had certain expectations of him. I simply wanted to help him become stable and safe, and more than anything I'm sad.
Meet this kid from the Philippians once, he used to try to help the homeless in Colorado Springs. He would actually sleep outside with them, I thought it was bizarre but it was somehow in his nature. I suggested he volunteer at the homeless shelter but apparently there was a problem with that because they couldn't drink and stay there.

Around that time, and I'm not sure why I'm going into this. My girlfriend stopped by and told me about meeting a kid who had gotten a DUI and literally lost everything, she bought him lunch but she was kind of tore up what had happened to his life.

A guy just down on his luck, I can see helping him get back on track. But some people choose that lifestyle, I honestly don't know why. They did a series of articles back in the seventies about homeless in Indiana, about 80% were veterans with benefits coming.

I don't really know, but sometimes all you can do is try.
 
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Glaucus

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Well, I'd like to think you had a conversation with this man prior to helping him with a room and board situation. I've had many conversations with homeless people and to be quite frank, I can sense a liar and know all the signs of substance abuse. I speak from experience in dealing with such people. Not saying they're " bad people ", just people who have made unintelligent decisions.

Furthermore, helping someone doesn't always mean giving them something tangible. If you can change a person's mind on a thing you can pretty much change their life and that's free of charge.

Some food for thought.
When I met him he didn't appear to be on drugs or drunk, or that he even needed that sort of thing. He actually asked me if I knew of anywhere hiring, and that's all he wanted. I had to insist on helping him with everything else. He's a good man. Which makes this all the more sad and shocking because I did get him a job.
 
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Glaucus

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Maybe I was played and he was clever and learned that asking for a job and not money would make people more willing to help and also give money and necessities. Can't really say or be certain. One thing is for sure, I'd rather get burned 99 times out of 100, helping the 1, than to not help at all.
 
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mark kennedy

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When I met him he didn't appear to be on drugs or drunk, or that he even needed that sort of thing. He actually asked me if I knew of anywhere hiring, and that's all he wanted. I had to insist on helping him with everything else. He's a good man. Which makes this all the more sad and shocking because I did get him a job.
Who knows, maybe he found a place to crash, someone who knew of a job. He could have gotten hit by a bus, he was living a high risk life style, sometimes it's fluid. I don't know, maybe he got on a phone with family members and jumped a bus. It is a little odd that he didn't even bother to touch base with you but maybe he went to jail, got hurt or found another way. Just say a prayer and wish him the best.
 
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~Anastasia~

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There was a member of my extended family who decided for a time to be homeless. Though there was a family home she could have lived in, she preferred her independence and living by her own rules (which had nothing to do with drug addiction, just coming and going and doing as she pleased with friends of her own choosing). She lived for some time in a tent by the river, happy as she could be.

One of her best friends was a man who lived on a houseboat he had built himself.

Just very independent folks, in their case.


(Now she works and lives in her own home, decades later.)
 
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Willie T

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Maybe I was played and he was clever and learned that asking for a job and not money would make people more willing to help and also give money and necessities. Can't really say or be certain. One thing is for sure, I'd rather get burned 99 times out of 100, helping the 1, than to not help at all.
"Yes." So what if you were played? You are thinking with the mind of Christ, and that is good. Being His hands in this world is not about seeing any agenda we might have come true. If you see him again, I know you will still feed and clothe him if he needs it, and that is what Jesus told us to do.
 
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Maybe I was played and he was clever and learned that asking for a job and not money would make people more willing to help and also give money and necessities. Can't really say or be certain. One thing is for sure, I'd rather get burned 99 times out of 100, helping the 1, than to not help at all.
Years ago, I wanted to help a man in need so I went to the church seeking aid. My Pastor and the deacons knew who this man was and refused to assist me. I was very perplexed. They appealed to Psalms 38:1-3 and explained to me that we need to be very judicious when extending relief to someone in need. They knew this man and judged his distress to be for his potential good. God sinks His arrows into us in order to teach us lessons. Psalms 119:71. If we remove them hastily, then we risk doing more harm than good. Some people are in such a spiritual mess that they cannot appreciate the help of others which, in turn, hinders them from turning to God in gratitude as well. Removing God's arrows too hastily may prevent the painful providence from having it's potentially blessed effects. Hebrews 12:11
 
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