Opening your Heart..and Home... (wife, strange, money, family)

[BlueWillowPlate]

Karla that's such an inspiring story.
I feel like I give a lot of myself (head, heart, energy) at preschool, but if someone was in need I would do whatever I could to help out.
I like the expression "Think Globally, Act Locally."

[Karla with a K]

great posts everyone
we have some pretty terrific folks here
it just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to see so many like minded kind hearted people

thanks johnycakes- thanks I hadn't heard of the save a child

I also agree with teaching people how to change their situation is as important if not more so than giving them money.
For example it is easy to give someone the money to help them not lose their house, but teaching them how to manage their money/credit so this won't happen is the long term fix.

karla

[HIF]

Myfask-

You are an inspiration! And I write grants...we MUST do that pizza run!

I have done things on instinct and gotten burned- but when I was asked if I was sorry that I had done it, I always said no, that I would rather continue believe that most people have good intentions than to have my default position be that I can't trust anyone.

That saying- some things have to be believed to be seen- it's true. We see what we are expecting to see most of the time.

[Karla with a K]

hereinfla
I wish I knew how to write grants lol can you imagine ....
I have a feeling with all the talking and note comparing we will be doing
not to mention your "sales pitch" wink wink for me coming to volunteer with your project it will be long lunch.
How fun will that be
lol My husband says there are 3 things to never ask me about
greyhounds
plants
gardening
credit
ok thats 4 but I think you get the picture
I will email you to figure out some dates we can meet

lol had rennas for lunch today
karla

[HIF]

Originally Posted by myfask

hereinfla

lol had rennas for lunch today
karla

Had Rennas for dinner last night- got a leftover slice in the oven right now! Pepperoni.

[HDL]

I love to help people in all the ways mentioned except for letting them move into my home. That is something I want to change and try to be open to, but am still leary of inviting problems in that I would be unable to handle .

I have given money to people I don't know, that didn't ask me for it. I have given food, clothing, furniture, appliances and even cars, as well as words of encouragement, prayer and support. Like the story in the Bible of the ten lepers who were healed and only one came back to say thanks, that too has been my experience .

Like several of you have stated, it is better to teach a man to fish than to just give them a fish, but many times, the opportunity to teach the person is not given and the immediate need then takes precedent.

I seldom give to people that 'ask'. I notice the need and take whatever action I feel is necessary. And even stating what I am saying above, I worry that people will read this and try to 'cyberbeg' from me, so I have to use the brains that the good Lord gave me and say "No" .

[Mrs.Bewitched]

I know that I would help someone in need. Always have. Even in my home, but, I couldn't let a complete stranger into my home being as I have children, and I would put their safety in danger.

With that being said:
My best friend had a nephew, 20 years old, whose mother was very...neglectful. Had been for years. Didn't care anything about her children. So the nephew wasn't turning out the finest. She never provided food or anythign, and I got tired of hearing my best friend telling me stories, so I repeatedly told her to tell him he can live with me in my basement (it was a finished basement). Finally I guess it got so bad that he took me up on the offer and came and lived with me for a couple of months. Yes, he was a stranger, but the nephew of my best friend and I trusted her judgement. We bought him sheets, he spent his birthday at our house.

Then, I had a coworker of mine who was a single mother and all of her family lived out of state so she was on her own. Something happened with her job, and there was fear that she would lose it and then she would not be able to afford anything. I offered up my home to her, and was getting prepared to bunk my own two boys together so that I could give her and her child a room and then luckily the situation with the job worked out.

My husband and I have seen old people standing on the corner either holding heavy groceries or it was in extreme weather, and we have pulled over and made them get into the car and driven them home. This has happened on numerous occasions.

I believe that if you would like something done for you, or your loved ones, then you do it for others.

[christina0001]

Originally Posted by kimmieyky

If you had a chance to physically help a member on this board - would you do it?
If you received a message of desperation - something which required more than a link or useful words - would you open your home, your wallet, your heart?
I wonder sincerely how many of us would go the extra mile - if God dropped a family into our lives.
Would you?
"that which you have done unto the least of these, so have ye done unto Me.."
KimmieyKY

My home: absolutely not. There are plenty of services out there to help someone who needs a place to stay, and I would be happy to assist someone with finding such a service. But I would never put myself and my family in jeopardy and invite a stranger into my home. If I made a friend online and we wanted to meet, I would arrange for us to meet in a public place.
My wallet: again, absolutely not. I love to give - to charities (large and small) both financially and with my time. But there is no way to verify that someone asking for help via the internet, truly needs help. Take a peek at craigslist.com to see how many people continually plead for money, cars, expensive electronics, etc., because they clain to be in desperate need. Unfortunately there is no way to determine who truly needs help, and who is running a scam.
My heart: sure! I have made good friends online. After enough time passed (I'm talking years), eventually we started talking on the phone, and I have even visited a few people. But it took a very long time to build to that level of friendship.

[recycled]

Originally Posted by johnycakes

The problem is, there's an unlimited supply of NEED in the world and each of us has a limited supply of resources.

No need to repeat Johnycakes words, they echo many of my thoughts about this topic. Can't save the world on our own, but we can each try to do something from time to time to make things better.

I've been in remote corners of the globe and had people invite me, a total stranger into their home and provide food, beverages and warm hospitality. People that had none of the modern comforts we know and next to nothing in material wealth. It was humbling, and reaffirms that there is such goodness in the human spirit, it's priceless.

I prefer doing volunteer work with groups that make a genuine difference in helping people who are in need. Sure, I donate plenty of cash to charities but I never really see what happens to it. A friend at work told me about Red Cross needing people to be trained to help set up disaster relief centers when those events come along. I signed up for that and am supposed to take some classes pretty soon. If anyone does Red Cross work, let me know about your experiences with them.

[ElkHunter]

I learned a lot from my dad. There was just three of us on the farm. My dad and us two boys.

Dad used to say things like, get the coffee pot ready. I'd say, "You don't drink coffee and neither do we." He'd say, "somebody might come by that wants a cup."

Or I'd be cooking bacon and dad would say, "Put some more bacon on, somebody just pulled up in a car." I'd say, "what if they don't want to eat?" He'd say, "If they don't, I guess we'll have bacon sandwiches at lunch time, now put on some more bacon."