I went to the mall today for some last-minute gift shopping. Driving on the way, I was caught in some traffic and I noticed these homeless families by the roadside. I took some quick pics with my camera phone.
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I wonder what this Christmas season means to these poor families. Gift-giving would be farthest from their minds. A decent meal and a warm abode might be all that they aspire for, but they cannot find it in this world. This world has shut them out and there is no room for them. May they experience the true meaning of Christmas sometime, somewhere... and may we all find room in our hearts to experience and share the true joy of Christmas.
Merry Christmas to all.
3 comments:
The world doesn't shut out people, bro Willy. People shut out people. The world's ok. It's people who aren't.
30 years ago, 1978, was the year I got my first job. That christmas was the first I had with a paycheck. I decided that spending a part of that paycheck for gifts was a good way to share a bit. So I went shopping.
I found myself in a shoe store watching this 10 year old kid - ragged t-shirt, no shoes, dirt in the fingernails, etc. I watched this kid buy himself a pair of sneakers and paying for it with coins. The sneakers then cost something like 50 pesos and this kid was paying all of it in coins - inclusing 10s, 5s and 50 centavo coins.
And that was all the money he had. I talked to him and found out he'd been shining shoes 2 blocks away. It had always been his dream to get that pair of rubberworld sneakers and since May he'd saved a little of what he earned shining shoes so can get himself the sneakers.
The saleslady and I were choking up listening to him tell his story. Speechless, all I could do was buy him 3 pairs of sport socks to go with the sneakers and wished him a great christmas.
I admired that kid, Willy. He had more determination and discipline than I had. He probably still does. I never knew his name but I think about him every now and then. He gave me hope, Willy. Hope that even when we are poor, we are not totally helpless.
And you know what, bro? It felt good giving him those socks. I felt more joy giving than I would have receiving.
Go back to the supermarket, bro. Spend a few hundred on a small basket of groceries and go back to those homeless you saw. It's not the world that shuts out. We do.
A blessed Christmas to you and your family.
- TE
That story of the kid struck a chord. All the more I see there should be enough for the poor, as God gave dominion to the earth's resources for everyone. I hope more people think GK or something like it, as there should be enough room for all.
You know bro, we were thinking along the same lines. Early today I bought some canned goods, biscuits, bread, and packed it into 8 bags. This afternoon before dusk, I brought the whole family back to the area and we distributed it to the six families
I counted there. I know it can't help that much, I just hoped it would bring a little cheer. You know what, when that mother with the child in her arms gratefully
received that bag, I saw the brightest and warmest smile I haven't seen in a long time.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Bro, That really felt good. There is room at the inn, after all. Because of you and people like you.
God was watching and he knew you did it unto Him.
Thank you. You, too, give me hope. Thanks for making this Christmas much more special.
- TE
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