Helping the homeless

This thread keeps reminding me of a Mullen song.

"People don't need just money
People need love and time..."


Blowin' kisses to the one I love
Blowin' kisses to the Father above
Helpin' others to feel His touch
Blowin' kisses to the one I love

theres also food pantries or in nz they call them pataka kai
people just leave surplus produce for anyone to take.


Most supermarkets have a basket or food trolley so people can put donated food there, and it gets distributed to those in need.

Most churches have food baskets too. I would actually bring food to put in food basket more times than money as I often didnt have any money to take to church.

over the years after our 'conversion' hub and I have been through many trials -
many of them were concerning the 'homeless and needy' -
Jesus has taught us the ropes, often the hard way -
just always keep in mind, through prayer, what your 'job' really is -
listen to Him, and NOT your emotions...
scams are the norm in this generation, - put on Jesus' armour!...

I moved from a city to the outskirts of a tiny country town, some years ago, into a huge old house on a few acres of land. There wasn't a much in the way of 'societal infrastructure' at that time in the area. Then 2 of my children grew and entered High School. One day my son came home and said 'so n so is sleeping under the slide in the park (15yr old male) 'cause he got kicked out of the house!' We got in the car and went to the park and brought this kid home with us. A Blessing was born that night... over the next 10 years we had, at different times, a total of 56 teens living with us, and over 30 adults. The local police knew what we were doing, and thanked us. We put in a huge garden, grew our own livestock and had fresh eggs. After the first few people, we realized that this wasn't actually costing us very much financially... God provided! Cottagers would bring us their non perishables when leaving for the city at the end of summer, a local store had a freezer break and so called us to come and take everything we had room for, a tractor trailer rolled into a ditch loaded with food stock for a grocery store and we were called to come and take what we could. (that time, we filled 3 local food banks with the bounty!) We taught these people practical things like how to get and use a bank account, how to cook, and how to be part of an eclectic 'family'. Only once did we have an issue with a theft, and only once did we have to ask a young man to leave because of inappropriate shenanigans developing with a young teen girl. God took care of us all. It was amazing, and I miss it. It was enlightening for my children to grow up that way; they appreciate everything they have been blessed with. My point of this is to say ' it is possible to do more, with God's guidance and providence. just open your heart and trust.' I feel like I lived in a state of Grace for those years.

theres now been a big shakeup to the housing policy in my country with the govt comitting money to build new houses and changing policies so that it is easier for those in need to have their own home...about time!

I am so tired of seeing people struggle and have to go without over the past few decades thanks to greedy landlord practices and capital gains and silly govt policies that contributed to the housing crises etc. They just didnt think if we are inviting more immigrants to come here that they need homes too. They not just gonna work for. a bit and and then leave.

It is one of my private joys to see someone struggling in the grocery store, with carts that are filled with the cheapest bare necessities and to dart in line in front of them and cover their bill.