Meet Paul

A while ago I blogged about homeless people and how I want to know their stories.  I then started thinking and praying about how I can bless them and find out what their stories are.  I then came up with the following idea.  I'll go to Spar and buy a few Haven Night Shelter Passports and then give them out to Homeless people when they come and ask me for money instead of giving them money.  Before I give them the passport I'll ask them about themselves, their name, family and why they are homeless.  Depending on how God leads, I'll either approach a homeless person or wait for them come and ask me for money.  

A Haven Night Shelter passport costs R10 and it allows a homeless person to go and stay there for the night. They are able to sleep in a bed, receive a meal, have a hot shower and receive social welfare support. 

Last week Wednesday I had the opportunity to talk to a homeless person.  I've bee putting it off for a while because I've been rather nervous to approach a homeless person and talk to them because sometimes they can get aggressive, but I need to remember that they are just people who also need love.  

Paul

I was sitting a bench reading a book in the Gardens and a homeless man approached me and asked me for money towards staying at the Haven Night Shelter.  I looked at him and thought, "here's my chance".  I asked him what his name is and to tell me a bit about himself.  He told me that his name was Paul and that he was a painter until he fell and broke his ankle.  He broke it pretty badly and couldn't work so he was fired.  He told me that he has a 10 year old son, who was at school while he was walking around looking for money.  I asked if he had family to stay with and he said that he was staying with his sister and her husband but he felt it was time to leave and he was a burden to them.  

I told him I would give him R10 towards the passports, that was half the amount he would need. He would also need to get another R10 for his son. I also only had R10 on me and I haven't bought the passports yet.  Come to think of I must go do this at lunch time. 

When I gave him the money he was super happy and thankful and then he asked me why I was giving him so much.  I looked at him and I told him that I'm Christian and that I really believe in community and helping people out in your community. Jesus also tells us to help the homeless, weak, orphans etc, he live like that, he did it and he set the example for us.  I also told him how in acts when people in the community never had something the community would step in and help and I believe that we should be living like that. 

Paul looked at me and said he'd never heard someone say that before. I smiled and said, God's put me in a place where I can help and I want to do that, and this is one way I can see myself doing that.  He then said thank you and I said, "I really pray that God blesses you." And that was that - he got up, said thanks and then walked off into the Gardens. 

After he had left I sat there thinking about how God has blessed me and I just gave thanks for what I have.  I then said a quick prayer for Paul asking God to bless him and his son. 

xKx