I was contacted a few days ago by someone I hadn't spoken in probably a year. She was a neighbour from the far end of the street, someone who I'm only on waving and nodding terms with these days. We used to exchange small talk most days on the preschool run but our daughters had gone to different local schools, and people drift apart.
She asked me for money, she'd run out of gas and electric and had no money until the end of the week. She was desperate and apologised over and over for needing to ask.
As a rule I don't hand out money. I'll lend you £1 because you don't have change for the bus etc but never usually more than that. I don't have money to just hand out like that. But I do have plenty of resources.
Yesterday her daughter joined us for dinner and had a nice hot shower. Her mum refused to join us, so I sent the daughter home with a boxed up dinner. I'm hoping mum ate it, I notice she's lost weight.
I've told them both the offer of hot meals and hot showers lasts for as long as they need it.
The whole thing has made me wonder how many people in the street are struggling without being noticed or feeling able to ask for help? This world can be a lonely and cruel place sometimes. Keep your eyes wide open folks, you might just spot someone you can help.
X x X
It is a tribute to your generous nature that she felt able to ask. Practical things like meals and showers are always good - people often feel more comfortable accepting those things, your 'shared resources', rather than cash handouts. Check out your locality for the CAP [Christians Against Poverty] charity. They are a brilliant organisation, non judgemental, who offer all sorts of help to anyone in need [whether or not they have any sort of faith/church allegiance] and are particularly supportive of families. This is a great post - its all too easy to feel 'hard up' when we look at the posh cars in the carpark, and hear others discussing their multiple foreign holidays - and to forget that we are so much better off than many other families, even the nearby neighbours just at the other end of the street
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