Thanks for this! This is exactly the way that I was raised. When I lived and worked in West Raleigh, I would get asked for money everyday, often by the same folks. If I had the time, I would always go with them and have lunch with them. If I didn’t have time, but had some cash (which was rarely, I always use a debit card) I would give it to them. If I simply didn’t have any money to give them, I would simply tell them, “Sorry, brother. Can’t help out today.” Because I took the time to speak to them and get to know them, even just a little bit, they knew that I was sincere.

As the preacher that baptized me used to say, “Our job isn’t to make sure they ‘do the right thing’ with the money. It is to make sure that WE do the right thing!”

Just realized that this sounds like I am blowing my own sax, but that isn’t my intention at ALL!

Thanks for all you do. If I ever get back over to Raleigh from W-S, I would love to meet up and talk to you about what you are doing and how. I am in the process of discerning G-d’s call on me right now and how I can serve the Kingdom here in W-S.

In the Shalom of Christ.
SCM

I was just wondering if he didn’t believe in Christ would he turn to the church and if the soup kitchen wasn’t run by a church how would the church come to know his story.

1) You are out of work. And on your way to becoming quickly out of money… So you keep putting in applications, buy cheaper and cheaper food, start researching the food pantries and the soup kitchens… Yesterday you tried to charge the groceries and your last credit card was declined.
We are not required to share with each other in the same way the first century believers did by holding everything in common, but at this point the community of believers should be sharing in the need with at least their excess. Sharing meals, helping with bills, groceries on porch, this is not a country where people should be going hungry. Just because something isn’t required doesn’t mean we can’t or shouldn’t do it voluntarily.

2) Because you recently moved here for that job, you don’t have any local friends that would let you live in the spare bedroom until things turn around… You come home to find the a note on your door, telling you to be in court in seven days. You are being evicted.
If there isn’t a church building where you could stay, there are probably church members who have an extra room. Or a couch. Or a couple of blankets and some floor. I know some who have extra houses.

3) You have family back home, 800 miles away, but they are struggling too. There is no real money to send you – they are trying their best to just survive.
Travel expenses to get back there, if that’s feasible or desired, so that the family can be mutually supportive and pool remaining resources.

4) And at night, you cry.
Bearing each others’ burdens, mourning with those who are mourning, walking alongside…all of these are required, even if there is little you can do physically.

5) They repossess the car first, because you chose to pay the rent instead of the car note. Luckily you live near a bus line - not that you have ever ridden the bus before, but you are learning to do lots of things you never did before.
They could buy you a scooter Sorry.
The community may or may not be able to help with this, but it is likely that between an extra vehicle, a car pooling arrangement, or provision of a bus pass this burden can be made easier, if not mitigated entirely.