We saw a "homeless" man in Fayetteville yesterday. Someone gave him some food. He walked around the corner and threw it away and went back to begging.
The ones at 4042 have been there for weeks. I don't know whether they are or are not homeless, but for safety reasons, I am not approaching them to find out or give them anything. You are danged if you do and danged if you don't. :?
I was curious one day watching one of them. The one at 4042 ramp, he was packing up his green army bag as the sun was setting and it was getting dark. He walked over through the parking lot of the gas station next to Cracker Barrel and got a room at the hotel behind it. I sat long enough to watch him go into the office and then up to a second floor room.
LOL I burned my DNC card years ago . But in the words of David Hannum (not P. T. Barnum) "There's a sucker born every minute." And I have seen enough suckers hand over money to them every time I go past there or the exit ramp of 40/42. I'll donate to places like the Raleigh Rescue Mission or a food bank. SPCA, etc.
Yesterday I hand out free food slips at 4042. If they use them, I am happy to help, if not no skin off my butt.
Hmmm, I wonder if that's why we have been seeing so many panhandlers @ 40/42? I know things are tough but there are still 'help wanted' signs out there. Me personally, I've shoveled ****, dug holes and cleaned carcasses but I have never wanted for a job...hope never to do any of the above again, but I will if I have to.
I think I saw you yesterday? Someone was handing a guy a ziploc bag out of the car? If so, you are very thoughtful and kind.
Just maybe some of these people living in the tents by I-40 are in true need. No more than 20 minutes ago my son (out of the blue) mentioned homeless people in need living in tents beside the interstate...and he hasn't read this topic nor have I spoke of it. This startled me and it also gave me the thought of returning to this thread. These people that pretend to be homeless are thieves; wolves among sheep. They poison our desire to share with the needy on the streetside with thoughts of "our" money being used to purchase drugs or liquor or simply to live on handouts. There are, I'm sure, many countless souls out there that have no other recourse than to ask for help and stomaches in need of food and panting spirits in need of quinching. Perhaps we should let our hearts guide us in our giving. I think for those that need it, you're maybe giving more than just a sandwich or the money to buy it with. It's a gift of hope that we can lean on others in crisis without being cast aside or judged. You really can't tell about a man or woman until you've walked in their shoes. You don't know what has brought them to this point and I say this for my own benefit to remind me to ponder these things rather than look the other way.
Well said!!! I foget who said this?? "I would rather be judged for giving too much than too little when I die."
Sometimes the tent is there just to fool you. Just like they look like they are living out of a backpack over there. I still just don't believe that there are homeless people over there. I think they all just have a great business going and other people are joining in. There are places for our homeless people to go and get a hot meal, etc. These guys just don't strike me as being homeless. And I do give, but not to them.
Camp Hope is the homeless camp off of Poole Rd by the gas station. These men are truly in need and are deeply appreciative of any help. I am not saying that they are angels, but neither am I.
I give if I have it, always have, always will. I have bought them meals too, when I see them in McDonalds. Like Hatteras said, if they are lying then shame on them, they'll get theirs. It is my belief that I am being judged on what I do. just sayin... Character is both developed and revealed by tests, and all of life is a test. You are always being tested. God constantly watches your response to people, problems, success, conflict, illness, disappointment, and even the weather! He even watches the simplest actions such as when you open a door for others, when you pick up a piece of trash, or when you're polite toward a clerk or waitress. ~ Rick Warren from his book The Purpose Drive Life. And for the person who said "if they can stand out there all day, why can't they stand in McDonalds or Walmart".... there are many reasons people can't hold down a seemingly normal job like we are fortunate enough to have. A lot of homeless people have mental illness, can't afford their meds to keep it in check, don't have a phone number where an potential employer could call them back, don't have an address to put on an application, they could lack employable job skills and have addictions. There are so many other reasons that we could never know.
There will always be cons out there, whether for panhandling or anything else in life. Each incident is unique in itself. I will share this which I personally have experienced. Several years ago I decided to try to locate my best friend from high school. After graduation we went our separate ways with life and lost touch. After nearly a year of searching for her I was able to locate her in Colorado. The communication between us was awkward at first and through snail mail only. I had offered my home phone, cell phone and email in every letter I sent yet our communication remained via snail mail. Our family was going through something which I thought I'd share in a letter in hopes that I could lean on my friend for support and encouragement. Her response caught me off guard. She appreciated me sharing and offered some things to consider and think about then she shared with me. She was homeless. I had been mailing to a P O Box which she keeps to stay in touch with her family back east and let them know she is doing very well when actually she was homeless. She had experienced a horrible and terrifying life trauma which caused her going into a very deep dark depression and slowly, bit by bit, life unraveled. She lost her job. She lost her apt. She lost the will to live and just went off and walked away from her 'life'. She was on the hard road trying to battle the depression and find away to come to terms with what had happened to her. We stayed in touch for about 2 years and then her letters just stopped coming. I haven't heard from her since 2008.
Amen, KB. I've never felt that the grand acts of humanity (raising a gajillion dollars for the church ministry, getting one;s name on the new hospital wing, etc) were more valuable than the simple day to day examples we live that who our humanity. Many who live and practice their own Faith, do so in the unseen, unadvertised way, finding a way to make their personal ministry come alive within. I've always gotten an accurate read of people, based on their interactions with sales clerks, wait staff, the homeless and the handicapped, etc. While I don't expect familiar overtones, I do note the disdainful treatment of others. I once had a lunchtime job interview with a boss who became my mentor and close friend. He conducted all his final interviews at this particular restaurant, with a specific waitress. The waitress was in on the deal. And depending on how stressful he wanted the interview to be, he'd either be really cold and MEAN to her, dismissive, whatever it took. He was checking to see if his behavior would be emulated. This who did were thanked for being contestants. For my interview, I felt he was way over the top. After firing her up about this and that, he then felt this meal was cool, not hot enough, dressed her down about the incompetence of the kitchen and her poor service, he looked at me and said, "Well, we're outtahere!", and threw enough cash to pay the bill but less than a two dollar tip, after tying up her table for over 90 minutes. As we left, I placed what I thought was appropriate to make up the shortfall, and in the parking lot, told him that I felt uncomfortable based on that interaction. He asked me if I was a namby pamby who couldn't tolerate difficult people. I told him that I could tolerate them well, that I didn't take their guff personally, and that I also felt that the best thing to do was to address whatever issues arose, with the person involved, not to take things out on people who were trying to help. I told him I left the tip balance, and apologized to her for our rude behavior and that he might consider doing the same. He said to me, "OK, Hotshot, let's go make nice." We went back, and as she looked at him, she broke into a big smile, hugged him and looked at me, and said about me, "Hire him, he'll do well." He was the most generous man I've ever gotten to know. Oldest of 11 children, big as an NFL linebacker, former Marine...appeared to be one of the gruffest people you'd ever meet, until you got to see him in action. Couldn't find a mean bone in his body. I've lately realized that he is a human Santa Claus, always with a twinkle in his eye, a mirthful life, and looking to see those around him doing good for others. He was the person who, whenever we'd have a ride along, would have me circle though a drive through for someone on the street, to give them a meal. He gave his money to his church, and his food to people on the street. Definitely a role model as a man and as a father.
