The impovrished in the United States of America

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rosemarie Vest on March 23, 2010 at 11:54pm

Joshua,

Thanks be to God for your heart and compassion. One problem that continues to bother me is the rising number of homeless families in our country. Our church opened its door every eight weeks to homeless families as part of IHN and have had as many as twenty people sleep there for a week. IHN is reorganizing its board and has temporary disbanded in our city. They may have disbanded, but the problem remains.

Rose

Permalink Reply by Patricia Violet Joy on March 24, 2010 at 5:15am

I agree with you so much Joshua, I had an arguement with a man on face book over this issue. I work with disadvantaged families in Ukraine and his statement was that they didn't have that problem in America. I told him to take off his rose coloured glasses and look around properly as the problem was world wide, even worse since the recession. His statement was that the 'poor in America' (his commas not mine) were like that because they were too lazy to work and if they got any money they spent it on flat screen TVs etc. I did ask where they plugged them in since they were living on the street a lot of the time, but he forgot to answer that one.

What I'm trying to point out is that many people won't accept that they are well off and, if used correctly, so little money can help so much. We work on about $1,400 a month, but have 4 children living with us and are helping families stay together by paying for food, clothing etc. When home in England we had walked passed a homeless man, then suddenly realised what we had done. We just bought him a sandwich, cake and a bottle of drink. You'd have thought we'd given him a fortune as, like America, these people are basically ignored. It doesn't happen there.

They need prayer so much, not only that they get the help they need, but that people would stop judging them and recognise the need.

Permalink Reply by Patricia Violet Joy on March 24, 2010 at 8:31am

Governments always have an excuse not to help. In America it is as stated below, in England it's that there aren't that many and there are charities who help them, they can't give them money as there is nowhere to send the Giro (special cheque used to pay Social Security money), they're doing what they can. as in America the list is endless of excuses why they aren't helped. Over here in Ukraine, it's usually because they haven't got an address on their ID passport. Where they are registered is the region who is supposed to help them, but if not registered they don't exist, they are nobody. When we go on the metro in Kyiv and walk between lines there are people begging in the passageways, we also get children (with mum being invisible sitting as a passenger) begging. We do try not to give much in the way of money as quite often it IS used to buy vodka or drugs, but give food, clothes etc, although these are sometimes sold to get the vodka.

We need to pray that they are recognised in the first place, then that governments have a change of heart and don't just play lip service, but actually do something. I am 61 my husband 63, our prayer is that before we die people like us will not be needed, but that governments will start looking after their own citizens instead of thinking will it make me popular, or what's in it for me.

Permalink Reply by Joshua Broom on March 24, 2010 at 3:48pm

Thank you Roemarie, I know that these are rough economic times for all in our country and it is good that there are churches like yours that are reaching out to those who have lost homes. Another issue I am passionate about is housing and support for the mentally ill who are homeless in our country. I once allowed a friend of mine from high school who had developed schizophrenia to live with me for over a year and I could see how he tried to hold down his job, but his mood swings were so sad to bear witness too, he is a good hearted guy and I helped him as long as I could, he is doing better now, but that experience really opened my eyes to how people end up without in our country.

Rosemarie Vest said:

Joshua,

Thanks be to God for your heart and compassion. One problem that continues to bother me is the rising number of homeless families in our country. Our church opened its door every eight weeks to homeless families as part of IHN and have had as many as twenty people sleep there for a week. IHN is reorganizing its board and has temporary disbanded in our city. They may have disbanded, but the problem remains.

Rose

Permalink Reply by Joshua Broom on March 24, 2010 at 4:00pm

Patricia,

Thank you so much for your replies, I applaud you and your family for doing good things for these unfortunate people. While it is true that some become homeless due to poor decisions, the fact of the matter is that a lot of people make poor decisions but do not find themselves on the streets having to beg and some people just lose their jobs or accrue medical expenses or just cannot pay their home mortgage. The American government is good about helping people who are in need, but there are many more yet who still go without. I will pray for you and the families you work with in the Ukraine. One of the things I love most about Jesus is that he so willfully and lovingly helped those who were poorest and most in need, I think we should all love others that way and recognize that we are all part of a global community, we can affect lives for the better and we do not have to be rich to be blessed or to help a fellow person in need.

Patricia Violet Joy said:

Governments always have an excuse not to help. In America it is as stated below, in England it's that there aren't that many and there are charities who help them, they can't give them money as there is nowhere to send the Giro (special cheque used to pay Social Security money), they're doing what they can. as in America the list is endless of excuses why they aren't helped. Over here in Ukraine, it's usually because they haven't got an address on their ID passport. Where they are registered is the region who is supposed to help them, but if not registered they don't exist, they are nobody. When we go on the metro in Kyiv and walk between lines there are people begging in the passageways, we also get children (with mum being invisible sitting as a passenger) begging. We do try not to give much in the way of money as quite often it IS used to buy vodka or drugs, but give food, clothes etc, although these are sometimes sold to get the vodka.

We need to pray that they are recognised in the first place, then that governments have a change of heart and don't just play lip service, but actually do something. I am 61 my husband 63, our prayer is that before we die people like us will not be needed, but that governments will start looking after their own citizens instead of thinking will it make me popular, or what's in it for me.

Permalink Reply by Trudy S. Eichorn on March 25, 2010 at 4:41am

Very Good Topic !!! Prayer is important and we should get very specific, such as for the impovrished !!! It is all over our World and time that we do what we can !!! This is great because we are all becoming more aware of Sin in our World and what it does to the "least of his People". We are all doing one great thing and that is joining together in Prayer, God will answer these Prayers !!!

Hail Maryfull Of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen

May we all find the strenght God gives us to reach out his hands to all in Need !!!

Yours in Christ,
Trudy

Permalink Reply by Joshua Broom on March 27, 2010 at 11:42pm

May your pray be blessed Trudy, thank you for taking the time to post a response. God is great in his provisions and mercies, it is a prayer of mine that I not become so self centered and selfish that I take for granted the wonderful blessing the good Lord has provided me with in my life. Even the simple nourishment from a peanut butter sandwhich and a glass of milk is such a terrific blessing and I pray for those who are starving as I type.

Trudy S. Eichorn said:

Very Good Topic !!! Prayer is important and we should get very specific, such as for the impovrished !!! It is all over our World and time that we do what we can !!! This is great because we are all becoming more aware of Sin in our World and what it does to the "least of his People". We are all doing one great thing and that is joining together in Prayer, God will answer these Prayers !!!

Hail Maryfull Of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen

May we all find the strenght God gives us to reach out his hands to all in Need !!!

Yours in Christ,
Trudy

Permalink Reply by Juline Bruck on March 28, 2010 at 5:15pm

Heya Joshua, I'm living right next to Beverly Hills in Los Angeles. It's here too. Since we have year round warm weather, a lot of homeless people are here because you can survive outside most of the year. The culture of anonymity means that even I, someone with a home, is classified as 'scenery' because they don't know me.

There are valid exceptions to this. I've met some great people here who are willing to be in relationship. It's just getting people to see you sometimes that it's tiring. It really made me glad that I don't have to jump up and down to get God's attention. He knows I am here. He cares. There is help for me and for all of these people.

One thing that I would mention is that so many people don't know what non for profits exist. In the state of California there are over 40,000 non for profits. In the state of Illinois, there are over 20,000 non for profits. There is a website where you can look up non for profits as a national database. It's still tiresome work because you have to do the legwork, but at least there's hope...http://www.charity-charities.org/charities/index.html

Permalink Reply by Joshua Broom on March 28, 2010 at 7:48pm

Hey Juline, Thank you for the post and I will check out the link you posted.

Permalink Reply by william g. hays on April 5, 2010 at 4:27am

Here this plz, they sinfull of this land demand we take GOD out of everything n it began way beck in 63 when the supreme court ruled to remove prayer n bible reading from our public schools. if you have done any investigation into our counties founding you will discover that the bible was and is to be used for study in all aspects of or history, its removal was never thought by our our founding fathers, also they fouded this nation strickly on the bible and all GODs laws and precepts.
So we must also relize that these people need to be prayed form for they do not understand what forces thier dealing with, so looking at 2 chron.7:14 is also how we should pray for our nation and totally with out ceasing. cause i believe when the rightous seek HIS face, HE hears snd snswer, GBU all till tomorrow when i once again come to in JESUS name amen