Is it correct to loan a bit of money to poor people in your church? Would you take in 2 strangers in need?
My church has more than a few long term unemployed people. As many of you know, there was a blizzard in southern NJ last night. One town was calling for shovelers to come and work for per hour, up to 12 hours per day, until at least Sunday, if not Monday. The condition was you needed a wheelbarrow to haul salt/sand and your own shovels. This person, plus another unemployed friend need to borrow money for a 6 cu ft wheelbarrow from the local hardware store. I also paid for three shovels, a roof rake and a ice chopper. All told, about 0 worth of stuff.
They had to report to the DPW before midnight Friday. They had to drive about 2 hours to get to this work. They slept in the car for a few hours and got to work around 5am this AM. They called me on the phone to tell me a good Christian family took them in and fed them. They will sleep there tonight, instead of the car. They will work 12 hours tomorrow, but take off an hour to go to church with the family who put them up tonight. After working tomorrow for the city their 12 hours, they will come home with a check for 6 each. I suspect they will clean up for this family or have already done so as thanks for the charity and hospitality.
Could you take in two strangers? I have doubts I could. As for the small loan, they need to feed their families more than I need it repaid. They will pay when they get regular jobs again.
They are pretty raggedy looking to me. They are poor, blacks without much education. One worked in a factory, the other a warehouse. They both lost their jobs in 2008. Unemployment is gone. They can only work odd jobs here and there. Do they deserve our help? Why or why not?
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8 comments
*ew on March 11, 2010 at 9:43 am
Yes they deserve it because they are trying.
Printing our way to wealth on March 11, 2010 at 9:43 am
I doubt this story is about blacks.
E-5 on March 11, 2010 at 9:43 am
No and No!
spot the cat on March 11, 2010 at 9:43 am
anyone who tries to help themselves deserves help, but, you are the one who needs to decide how much help you give them, you did a good thing, but that does not mean you need to open your home to strangers
Redjr01 on March 11, 2010 at 9:43 am
Yes, I would help people that are looking to help themselves. Obviously, these guys were willing to work and not looking for a handout. However, I am not sure I would take them in. What I would do instead is put them up in a motel somewhere near the job. Somewhere decent. Even though they’re nice people, if things get extremely desperate for them down the road, that can come back and haunt you. Taking strangers in is risky business.
D700 dug on March 11, 2010 at 9:43 am
What a sick country America must be where the state is to poor or to mean to even supply work tools !
America is the richest most powerful country in the world and probably the history of the world yet you are incapable of showing basic human decency.
If you have the money give it to them, of ask them to show compassion and generosity to some other poor sob screwed over by the wonders of the capitalist dream.
MOODYBLUE412 on March 11, 2010 at 9:43 am
I believe that everyone who has the means should lend a hand to those in need. However, you have to be careful when taking people into your home. While there are many good people homeless due to misfortune, there are also many who are addicts or mentally unstable. I’ve heard too many horror stories to let a stranger in my home. So, while I do lend a hand in the way of volunteer work and donations, I would not let them stay in my home
bill j on March 11, 2010 at 9:43 am
Excellent question. If you give a man a fish you have fed him for a day, if you teach him to fish you have fed him for a lifetime.
You didn’t give them a hand out, you gave them the opportunity to work and earn their own money.
I have taken in strangers before. Some of them went on to succeed, some went on to fail, and some robbed my house. I would do it again because the success far outweighs the problems.