My friend Katie posted this on her facebook yesterday and she kindly let me share it with you!! I think this is a perfect example of how we can help anyone anywhere if we are just willing to look.
"We
helped a man out with a motel room tonight. He was mentally ill, and
had missed his bus home to Seattle. He needed to catch the next one in
the morning... I learned a a few lessons from that man tonight. First,
that no matter who you are, it is humiliating to ask others for help
when you truly need it and have no other choice, I knew this by the
shame in his eyes. Second, that we live in a cruel
world full of many people not willing to try and understand those who
don't have life as easy as we do. I knew this by the way others laughed
and talked about him after his pleas were denied and he was sent away
from the establishment. Third, that anyone can be honest. I knew this by
the way he did not ask me to pay for the whole room. He pulled every
dollar he had from his pockets and then three dollars in change at the
counter and said he was only $12 dollars short. I knew this would mean a
16 hour bus ride with no money for food or drink. So we put all but
just a few dollars on our card to cover his room only because he
insisted on paying some. Fourth, thats contrary to what many people may
think, mentally ill people understand and have many feelings, one of
which is gratitude. I knew this by the way he could not say thank you
enough with tears in his eyes. He shook our hand and handed me a peace
of paper he'd ripped of his receipt. It had the last four digits of my
card number on it. He told me there was nothing he would need those
numbers for. Fifth, that God makes no mistakes. I can not think of one
good reason we were at Perkins in Bismarck at 12:30 a.m. other then to
have been in the right place at the right time to help that man. I know
many people may think I have contributed to a substance abuse problem,
but, I know where my money went. I also know I didn't loose anything
tonight but rather I gained something. I know how my heart feels now and
that that man has a warm place to sleep on this cold foggy night... I
hope this can inspire others the way it did for me."
Thank you Katie for inspiring us!!!
