Today I had the feeling that I should go to the temple. Being that I was already dressed up for school it was pretty easy to come in change my shirt, throw on my suit jacket and start walking up there (I live about 4 blocks from the Salt Lake City Temple). Before I left I thought to myself, "I should bring some money just in case" so I grabbed a Lincoln (thats 5 dollars) and headed out the door. It was a crisp winter day but the sky was blue and the sun was bright. As I approached the entrance to Temple Square I noticed a woman with a back-pack just wondering around in front of the gates. My first thought was, "oh no...some woman that’s gonna ask me for money" (I'm a sucker for giving money to the homeless) so I tried to hurry into Temple Square before she turned around. Just as I was breaking the threshold into safety I hear a soft quiet voice behind me say, "excuse me sir, do you have any change you can spare?" My first thought was, "ah crap, she got me" and then I remembered, something told me to bring this 5 dollars--why? Money is not needed to get inside the temple, maybe I was supposed to bring it for her. After that thought I remembered that I wanted to start this blog--after that my attitude improved exponentially!
I reached in my back pocket and pulled out the 5 and handed it too her. She said, "thank you" and started to turn away, but before she could leave I asked her how she got to this point in her life. She looked at me, obviously a little taken aback, and replied, "I put a lot of money into a business that when I came here I found out didn’t really exist." As she said these simple words tears filled her eyes--were they real or just a show? It's hard to say, but the rest of her story is as follows. She, Samantha, is from Arizona and drove up here to SLC about 3 months ago for this business that she was putting money into. She obviously didn't have much going for her in AZ and I guess this was something she had hoped would be a starting point for "something" better in life. Well as stated previously the business didn't really exist, she had put all her eggs in one basket and that basket wasn't even real. Hoping to make the best of being in a new city with new opportunities she sold her car, rented a place to stay and began job hunting. She made a fatal mistake of believing that she could find a job easily here even with a nationally dismal economy and job-market, she didn't get a job and now banks upon the benevolence of Temple Square visitors to survive.
After hearing her story I simple shook her hand and told her I hoped the best for her, she teared up again and said simply, "thank you and God bless you." Is the story true? Is she really someone who was trying for something more in life and was swindled out of everything? Were her tears real or just a good show to get a young Mormon sap to give her some money? I really don't know, and I probably never will. But is that a judgment I really want to make. Is it one of those “better safe than sorry” choices? Matthew 25:31-46 leads me to answer this question in the affirmative”
“31 ¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his aright hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my cbrethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the aleast of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
Homeless Profile 1:
Female
Samantha
Arizona
Bad Business Venture
$ Given: 5
Crazy Rating (1-10): 1
Story Believability (1-10): 6--There has to be a lot more to it.
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I think this is a wonderful idea for a blog... I look forward to hearing about the people you will meet and their stories!
ReplyDeleteI've been talking about doing this with Brandon for ages. but more like photographing the homeless...their faces and hands and feet. brandon wants you to add him on facebook he has a book for you that he thinks you'd enjoy reading. He loves this stuff too...he's a socialogy major.
ReplyDeleteAlright dude, something to think about...something I read once, about interacting with people.
ReplyDelete1. If you want a better chance at getting a truthful story, engrose yourself in the culture your exploring. No I am not saying, "go homeless!" I am simply saying, dont let your role be the "im giving money to you for a story" guy. Homeless people talk to one another, if they think they can tell u a sad story for a buck, they will. Rather, do as you did with #1, and introduce yourself, be blunt (like you did) and just ask...how the heck did you end up this way?
2. I would also talk to the new rising counter culture. There are a ton of teens and people your age out living on the street by "choice." If you want some serious stories about the now, hit them up.
3. Learn the lingo...there are so many different terms that cultures use, same applies to the homeless. A spot on the corner where a homeless guy sales papers, might be more than that...it could be a "lookout" could be a "pharmacy" etc.
4. Find out the heirarchy of the homeless. Often times just like any other culture, the homeless in a local area will know each other, talk to each other, and develope leadership roles, protective roles, and family roles.
5. Finally, use the gospel, as I am sure you know how to by now. You will be suprised to hear how many people have heard of us, but not about us.
Anyways, keep the blog up to date, and if you get in a good way with your subjects, Christa and I would love to fly out there and take some pictures with you and them.
Brandon Neal
www.stillexposure.net