Due to the nature of my job (or lack thereof), I rarely take the subway nowadays. And for my kids? Riding the subway train was a novelty, a field trip, or an excursion all by itself – that is, until they were old enough to tell the difference between a commuter train and amusement park rides.
It was approaching 11 p.m. on a Wednesday when we were stranded on a slow-moving, local subway train in Manhattan. It was signal problems, they said. A crowd was present, but there were still seats available. When my son saw a row of three empty seats, he quickly sat down and scooted to one end to make room for his sister and father. I almost stopped him but it was too late. I gave my husband a look, and he nodded his head slightly (I love it when we can communicate without using words). He was telling me it was okay.
My son ended up sitting next to a homeless man with a cart, who s made some legroom when he saw our boy. This boy then sat there for what seemed like an eternity until the big man and his cart got off at Time Square. Suddenly, the all-too-familiar odor permeated the air. My husband signaled for me to take the seat that just opened up. I shook my head very, very slightly. Again, he understood me perfectly.
My son had no clue. While I kept my distance, he plodded himself so close to a man that had no home. To him, he saw a normal guy with lots of garbage to dispose of. To the rest of us, we saw a hobo on skid row.
I wanted to capture the moment and took a picture. We have long lost the innocence of a child.
I use the train so much that I forget that you guys take it rarely!
I don’t really see homeless folks as a despicable life form on skid row but just people that God wants to minister to.
I like Psalm 41:1 since it shows God’s heart of love and high regard for the poor:
Happy is one who cares for the poor; the LORD will save him in a day of adversity.
I work with the former or current homeless population. Many come from dysfunctional backgrounds or have family who have mental illness. They, unfortunately, inherit mental disorders from family members and end up on the streets because they don’t have the cognitive ability or skills to maintain daily living tasks that the average person can accomplish.
Yeah, sometimes we forget those that live on the streets are mentally impaired… and that it is judgemental of us to think they should just get a job. Thank you for your sharing, Amy!
Mental disorder is a main factor that plagues homeless people. Many of them lost their jobs and consequently their families. Their families reject and kick them out of the house. Some are orphans who had to fend for themselves in the streets all their life. Some have been abused and end up not trusting others so they isolate themselves. Some could even be people who escape from the life sex trafficking. Many of them may want to work but it may be hard for them to find a job. Some of them don’t have the skills or mental capacity to hold a job. Many homeless die on the streets and may die at a younger age than most people. It wasn’t too popular when I would reach out to the homeless people at our former church. These are the reasons why I am a big advocate for people volunteering to help the poor in any way they can. I am also a strong supporter of social services that can adequately serve the poor in a holistic manner. One thing I really enjoy about Redeemer is the provision of volunteer opportunities and outreaches to the homeless population through Hope for New York 🙂
Oh yes and I forgot drug addictions and substance abuse that keep many homeless people in a unproductive but destructive cycle. It’s on of the worst coping methods many of them choose to deal with the depressive state of their lives.
Hi, Amy, true, not everyone sees the homeless as the way I described… my choice of words was strong since I wanted to draw a contrast between what a child sees and what an adult sees. When we see the poor through the eyes of Christ, life takes on a completely different meaning. I was even thinking… what if the homeless man was an angel in disguise, and that it was just a test for us to see what is really in our hearts?
I don’t think all adults view the homeless as despicable life forms. I know of many adults who serve and view the homeless as loveable and God’s wonderful creation. I actually admire children since they easily view a homeless person as another person with many baggage.