Not long ago, I was approached in the grocery store parking lot by a homeless man who wanted money to buy food. HIs name was Roy and he said he was traveling to Miami. I told him that I couldn’t give him money but I would buy him a meal. I took him to the store’s deli and bought him a simple meal: a hoagie, a bag of chips, and a soft drink. He seemed happy.
Today, I was approached in the same parking lot by a young man who said he came to America three months ago and didn’t have a job. He said his name was Isaac and he was from Romania. He was living at the Salvation Army shelter with his wife, his two kids, and his parents. He said he didn’t like living there because many people smoked and drank and it wasn’t a fit place for his family. He reiterated that he didn’t want money but he needed food. He said he was having a difficult time finding work because of the large number of “Spanish” people who were taking all the low-paying jobs.
I took him into the store and bought him a meal: chicken tenders plus a side of something he picked out, and a roll. I wished him luck and told him he should take any job he was offered. I told him not to be choosey if he was offered work, and that he had to start at the bottom and work his way to a better job. He seemed grateful for the food and several times he wished God’s blessing on my family. I didn’t tell him I don’t have a family.
I never feel I know what is the right thing to do in these situations. I don’t give money because I don’t want to enable bad behavior. But I also don’t want to ignore someone who is genuinely in need. Maybe he was telling the truth, and maybe he was running a scam, but I feel sorry for anyone who has to approach a total stranger and ask for food.
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