Is It Worth It To Help The Homeless? Ask My Children -

Opportunities to help the homeless can feel overwhelming. In many cases, it can be a sacrifice and take one out of one’s comfort zone. But ask my children if it’s worth it.

Help the Homeless

Standing in the backyard on a beautiful fall afternoon, it occurs to me how wonderful it would be to not have any obligations for the rest of the day, to just be able to stay at home and relax.

But no, we committed to provide an activity for a few homeless children that night. This would mean:

a trip to the store
a couple hours worth of preparation
an evening spent away from home
and a big step out of our comfort zone

Time, money, comfort—three things that are rarely easy to sacrifice.

“But it will be worth it,” I tried to reassure myself. “It always is, isn’t it?” I walk back to the house, feeling weary and not quite convinced.

Homeless — Image Credit: Landschap met een blinde oude vrouw en een jong meisje, Charles Courtry, 1882, https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200177650

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“Are you nervous?” I ask my daughter, as we approach the church building. “Because I am!” I confess.

“Yes!” she says, relieved she isnt’ the only one feeling a bit of trepidation.

Confidently, my son pipes up from the backseat,

“Well, you were nervous the last time we visited the homeless, too, but everything worked out ok, right? So there is really no reason to be nervous this time.”

Well, okay then.

Arrival

We pull the car into a nearly empty parking lot and make our way to the only place on the premises that shows any sign of activity—a large room with a small kitchen, a few tables, a bunk bed, a handful of couches, and a small group of people. The smell of lasagna and pumpkin pie fills the air, along with the occasional cry of a baby and the sudden outburst of young children.

Unceremoniously, we introduce ourselves to those in the room—the activity director, four mothers, 3 young children, 3 babies, and the church caretaker—and then the fun begins.

Game Time

Standing in a circle, we look nervously at each other—myself, my three children, and Ana* (girl, age 9), Sara* (girl, age 9), and Isaak* (boy, age 6). (* Names have been changed)

“Hi! My name is Grace* and I like to read,” I said, smiling through my apprehension.

Hesitantly, I toss the ball to the person across from me.

“My name is Ana, and I like to write,” a short girl with long brown hair blurts out with a bit of spunk.

The ball is tossed to the next person and the game continues, with each round of the game asking and answering a different question.

Round 2 – Favorite Dessert: “My name is Sara and my favorite dessert is apple pie,” she whispers softly, her light hair pulled high into a loose bun.

Round 3 – Favorite Color: “My name is Isaak and my favorite color is blue,” he says, after a long pause and an encouraging prompt from Ana. His color choice surprised me, since he is dressed from head to toe in red.

Round 4 – Dream Pet: “My name is Janie and my dream pet would be a giraffe.”

Activity Time

Ten minutes later, we have everyone’s name down pat, and the children are having so much fun that they don’t want the game to ever end.

At some point, however, the game did end, and we move on to the next activity—card-making.

Standing around a table, which is covered with glue, paper, and embellishments, I demonstrate how to decorate the top of the card with paper cupcakes and stickers and then tell the children:

“When we’re finished making these cards, you can keep a few to give to whomever you’d like, and I’ll take the rest home with me to share with children who are sick or who are going through a hard time. It that alright with you?”

Timidly, Ana looks at me with tears in her eyes, and whispers, “We’re going through a hard time…”

“No, we’re not!” exclaims Sara (9), indignantly. Her strong reaction surprises me; it seems so out of character for her.

Thankfully, it takes only moments to console Ana, who cheers up right away. She decides exactly who she is going to give her cards to, she tells me enthusiastically.

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The Gift of Giving

“I’m going to give them to the people at the homes where we go trick-or-treating. When they open the door, I’ll hand them the card.” With a smile on her face, and a look of determination in her eyes, Ana sets to work gluing orange and black colored paper to the front of her cards.

Isaak (6) focuses intently on his glue and paper creations, which he promptly carries to his “room”. I’d be interested in knowing who the recipients of those carefully made cards will be.

My attention then turns to Sara. My heart nearly melts as I see her bent over and concentrating intently on writing a friendly “get well” message inside her card. Next to the message, she draws a picture.

Completely focused and filled with the desire to lift another person, she continues, unabated, for some time.

Card after card…

First, glue cupcake on front.
Next, write warm message inside.
Finally, sign name on back of card where it says ” Handmade just for you by …..”.

On and on she goes, unwilling to stop, even when it comes time for us to leave.

I am awed by such care and compassion and concern for another, even in the midst of her own overwhelming trials.

All three children inspire me with their desire to look beyond their own circumstances and give to another person.

It was an opportunity I had hoped they would welcome and they took hold of it and ran.

Conclusion

My children and I make a meaningful connection with the activity director, and she invites us to return again in the future, an invitation we enthusiastically accept.

Later, as we walk to the car, we wonder why it is that we ever worry about reaching out to others, when it always manages to work out in the end.

This night was no exception.

Our decision to help the homeless was a fun-filled, heart-warming, unforgettable evening, time and money and effort well spent, and a tremendous blessing in our lives.

My son was right.

It always is.

Feeling called to serve others? Don’t miss this life-changing devotional:

devotional

Is It Worth It To Help The Homeless? Ask My Children