the payoff

Sometimes people ask me what I get out of helping the poor. Is it because it makes me feel better? Is it because I feel called to it? Is it because "somebody has to do it?"

No. It's not necessarily any of those things.

This is a picture of Michael.

Michael lives on the street. He is one of the "actually" homeless, not the poor, who have a place to sleep and at least some things to call their own. He is sleeping under trees, finding some friends who will let him shower once a week and he carries everything he owns in a back pack.

Michael went with us on Thursday to hand out some sack lunches. We pulled into a parking lot and he jumped out of the van to hand a lunch bag and a water to a man that reminds me of South Side Johnny in Winnipeg (complete with pushing a grocery cart). Michael got back in the van and said to us...

"Man that felt good"

Lisa told us the other day that she doesn't see the poor or the homeless when we do what we do... she sees "team members". Zeke... gatekeeper... Ray... street team captain... Michael... team captian of whatever he wants to be team captain of...

Everybody has a spot. Everybody gets to play. Everybody has a purpose. And we can't do what we know God has called us to do, now or in the future, without them.

And it gives them and us dignity... GOOD WORD

So what do I get out of helping the poor?

You tell me. :)