Tuesday morning, as I turned the corner towards HQ, something caught my eye. When I looked closer, I realized it was reflection strips. Two fire fighters were standing over someone who was on the ground, and their coats, with the reflections strips, were covering the person. My first thought was it was a homeless person who had passed away. I called dispatch to see what the fire department was out on. It turned out it was a homeless man who had fallen, broke his leg, and the fire fighters happened upon him. They were waiting for the medics to arrive.
Imagine being in his shoes. He was walking along, slipped on the ice, broke his leg, and had to lay there until someone happen to see him. It was dark out still, so who knows how long he was there. How sad is that? He's all alone in the world, laying on the ground, wondering if anyone will find him before he freezes to death. How does someone get to that point? Why does God allow such things?
I wish there was more I could do. I see them walk past HQ everyday, eyes glazed over, their world in a backpack on their back. I know that some refuse help for different reasons, whether it be mental illness, chemical dependency, or something else. I guess all I can really do is say a little prayer that God will take care of them. I don't think we'll really ever know the answer this side of Heaven.
31 comments:
Aww. That's a tough one.
When I lived in a different city--and was in closer proximity to our homeless I used to go out when it was dark and drop off bags of clothes and canned goods (with a can opener!). I'm not sure this was the best idea, but I think if I were them and happened upon that bag-I'd be thankful.
I think you are right - there are some things we will never know the answer to this side of heaven, but those things sure do weigh heavily upon us. I have been saying this verse over and over this week: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer." It keeps me going!
I often feel helpless too- There's things we can do to help, but sometimes with our daily schedule and being moms- Is so hard..
One thing for sure - we can ALWAYS pray.
What a sad story to read. He was lucky because someone was watching over him. Help did arrive for him. I hope he does okay..
What a blessing that he was discovered and was able to receive help. Often the homeless aren't "seen", you know? We go about our days and just don't pay too much attention.
You have such a good heart.
poor guy...that is a sad situation. i've volunteered for homeless shelters and i just don't get it either.
but, like you said, we can pray for them...they each do have their own story. and interestigly, some DON'T want to be found by their families.
:(
I know its totally heartbreaking isnt it. I just cant imagine being that lonely and have nobody to lean on. Like you said I am sure some of them choose that route in life for one reason or another but being the softie that I am I cant bear the thought of somebody being cold, alone, sad, hungry, or with out a place to call home. All we can do is pray and do alot of community outreach. You prob. see it alot more than an average citizen.. God Bless you for all you do!! :)
"Why does God allow such things?"
Because we're created with free will--and every choice made has consequences. The whole, entire purpose of everything--life, creation, the Bible, all of it--is so we may know God.
I know...preaching. Sorry. But I don't believe we need to feel helpless. Look at what you do--you make a difference in someone's life every single day. Maybe not that man's--but he had someone else looking after him. I think it's when we STOP looking around us and stop hurting because of what we see, that we're in trouble.
it does make me sad. we use to carry lunch bags with peanut butter crackers and 50 cents and a track telling where they could get help and canned meat and a bottle of water
That's just heartbreaking, I always get so sad seeing homeless too. It's hard to understand why things like that happen. What a blessing that someone found him soon enough to help!
Those things are very hard to understand. There are many ways to help out. You are right some don't want to get off the streets, but an extra blanket, set of gloves, or a hot meal do help. You can't help everyone, but sometimes just once is a huge help. :-)
You could always stop by the homeless shelter and ask them if they need anything. Sometimes they just need small items to keep them going!
We had a shelter for battered women not too far from our house and I stopped by one day and asked what they needed. They told me what they needed and it was items that I happened to have at home (and some were things I was wanting to clear out of my house!)
And when you go to work every day you are doing a service to the entire community! Police Officers, Firefighters, EMT's and our military are some of the hardest working people out there. Don't discount what you do each and every day!!
This is so true and so sad. Every day as I get off the freeway to go pick up my kids. And there is always someone standing at the intersection holding a piece of cardboard asking for help.
And I hate that I feel so torn at that moment. Do I help? If so, would I really be helping? Are the honest? Is it safe to open the window?
I know how you feel, I used to be the ass that didn't care until I had children. Now my wife and I every time we go downtown we take old magazines for them to read and old clothes of ours to give and if we have any extra snacks we give those as well. It is amazing how some things make you open your eyes
It's tough to see day in and day out really other than a meal, coat or a couple dollars your prayers my go farther.
Wow, I'm glad they were able to help that poor man.
Ok, this post brought tears to my eyes, as my father is homeless...severe depression and alcoholism with past drug usage was the path that lead him there...it's ALWAYS wonderful to hear the empathy coming from others instead of hearing the bashing upon the homeless. Thank you for the empathy you have shown.
Oh the homeless always touch my heart. I am always thinking about them. In fact Branson has a huge homeless problem and some of them are the working homeless. They live in tents or just in the outdoors. I worry so much that I have been gattering some things to give out when I see someone standing with a sign. I have a blanket, water, a little money and I want to get a few other things -like tuna -toothpaste etc and put it in a bag and put it in my trunk...for the next time.
You have such a big heart CM. Great post.
That is very sad - especially when kids are involved. No one deserves that life, but honestly there needs to be a better system in place to help those who can't help themselves.
~WM
This is so timely I just read a story about a mom and her daughter on this very topic in my mommy devo. The mother was driving around with her kid and pretended not to see the homeless person on the corner of a stop light. While her daughter didn't just see the man she asked what the homeless person's sign said. [will work for food - hungry] The little girl asked her mommy if she could bring the man a pb&J and drop off some lunch at the very least. So the next time they drove by they were prepared to hand the pb&J lunch sack through the window like a drive through. Some won't take the food if there are other issues at hand but this devo was so presh b/c the little girl really wanted to show God's love and the mom didn't let fear come between doing so. The mother was afraid the homeless man was not going to accept the offer of lunch and her daughter would be crushed.
Now with that said being a LEO wife I would have had to pray and strap on the "tool" (yes I'm a PPM) to do such a thing cuz lets face it I don't trust anybody when it comes to my kids.
So turns out the guy really was in need of some food and was very grateful and said thanks and may God bless you for this act of kindness.
It really gave me a different perspective. I've been on homeless mission trips to NYC in the past so I've seen the variety of street folks.
Guess the lesson I got was, if and when God says to do something - to trust him in it and believe he'll supply the protection.
I think those firefighters were doing just that, and maybe not even realizing they were being used by God. I know the bible says the homeless will always be among us and for sure, that's not something I'll ever understand this side of heaven. Thanks for sharing - lots of folks are having legitimate difficult times. Makes me thankful for our blessed life.
Agreed- there are some things we will never get the answers too. But I wonder that all the time. What goes so wrong, how does this happen? I think could this happen to us. We have so much family that we could turn too, what about these people? Where are their families. It is so sad. Glad this guy was lucky to get some help. Bless him.
Oh man, that's so sad. I can't imagine being all alone in life like that.
Not sayin' I know the will of God, but do remember that in giving us freewill we all have choices to make. Some people choose that life. Our family knows a man who has lived on the streets for 20+ years. He knows no other way and depite many of us offering to help he chooses that life.
That man you saw may not have chosen that life and maybe he did. The best thing is to pray for the desire for change and that Jesus may be revealed to him for who He really is.
Thankfully we're always given a second chance, and a third and a fourth, etc.
Thankfully someone did get to him in time. The saddest thing about it all is that it is not just where you live. It is prevalent everywhere.
The scary thing is that people in that position tend to say they went from not being in that position to being in it so fast even they don't really know how they got there.
That's a shame. When I see people in that condition, I always wonder how they got there. What kind of life did they live, what job did they have, their family, their childhood......just how did they get to this point in life. Fortunately, we don't have them in the area where I work and live but a nearby town has them.
I like Lori Peterson's suggestion about donating to the local shelter. Her sister is a police officer.
I agree not much you can d, but it still is kind of bothersome!
Stopy by
That is so true... I often wonder what could have happened to get them to that point. I know if anything ever happened to my husband I have so much family that would help me.
But then again I used to be a foster care worker and if we had to remove children we would try and place them with family.. but often the extended family was so messed up we couldn't... so sad.
Thanks for following me, following you now too.
Thank goodness help did come his way...
That would be hard, not being able to help. I'm so glad we can pray for people and that the person you saw got the help they needed. I pray it brings them closer to the Lord.
~traci
It breaks my heart to see homeless, but I also know that for many of the ones I see on a regular basis around our area, it is by their choice. I also lift prayers for them.
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