The kids and I spent the Labour Day weekend with friends while Jordan was working. When we returned home, there wasn't much in the way of food, so we decided to take the kids to a restaurant for dinner so we could all enjoy each other's company.
We are lucky, aren't we, that we can do that?
After an enjoyable meal, we stopped at a nearby convenience store to get some milk for the next morning's breakfast cereal.
Zachary is 9 (and a half, he says) now, and keeps testing out his independance, so he asked if he could go into the store on his own and get the milk. We were parked directly in front of the store, so we gave him the money and sent him in.
Seated in front of the store was a young man, homeless. Holding a tattered cardboard sign that said "Broke, Homeless & Hungry. Please spare some change. Thank you and God Bless". Oh, my heart. I hate seeing that. I wondered what his story is.
Some people walked by without a look, some placed some money in the worn and ragged hat that he was using as a collection bowl. He always said a quiet thank you to all those who gave him money.
I watched for a bit, and was planning to give him some money when Zachary came back with the change.
From the back of the van I could hear Corbett trying to read out the sign, but he was struggling a bit, due to the folds in the cardboard. I let him continue, because I wasn't really sure I was ready to delve into that conversation with my 6 year old yet.
Zachary walked out of the store and as he slid open the side door of the van, he saw the man. He stopped for a bit, then jumped in the van.
"Why doesn't that man have a home?"
There are lots of reasons that someone might not have a home, its complicated buddy.
"He's hungry. He needs food. Where is he going to get the food from, if he doesn't have a home?"
He's asking people to give him money so that he can buy food
"But he doesn't need money, he needs food."
Well, food costs money.
"I know."
So, Jordan looked at me and I said "Yes, he needs food"
Attached to the convenience store we were at is a Tim Horton's. Jordan and Zachary got out of the van, walked into the Tim Horton's, and walked out with a large, fresh sandwich. It was that easy.
Zachary went to the man, and handed him the sandwich. At first, the look on his face was shock.
Then, the biggest smile I have ever seen. "Thank you, young man, Thank you!"
The sign was put aside, his worn hat tucked away beside him. By the time Zachary and Jordan were back in the van, half the sandwich was gone.
As we backed away, he waved to us, ever so slightly. Jordan and I fought back tears most of hte way home
People can debate how to "deal" with the homeless all they want. How to help them, should we help them. There are enough programs or there aren't enough programs.
But that doesn't matter.
My 9 year old boy, saw a man was hungry, so he brought him food.
He saw an immediate need and he met it. He didn't want someone who was hungry to have to wait until he had enough money to buy food. He wanted him to have it now. So he made it happen.
We can't fix the homeless problem with one person, on one day. But we can sure make a difference in the day of someone. The world needs more of that. People helping people just because they need it. No analzying why, or what the ramifications are. Just helping.
Our kids have seen us help friends who had fallen on hard times. They have watched us receive help from friends and family when we were expereincing hard times.
That Zachary was able to translate that to helping a person he doesn't even know, makes me so incredibly proud.
Jes
No comments:
Post a Comment