Where are the compassionate people?

Mark 8:2 I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.

In this mornings Star Tribune newspaper I saw the headline in the north metro section. It simply read that Oak Grove city council refuses to recognize homeless awareness month.  Every other city in Anoka county agreed to pass this recognition except Oak Grove. One council member  believes that it isn't the responsibility for Anoka County or the cities to be pouring in tax payer dollars into programs for the homeless. He would prefer funding come through private donations. This council member went on to say how much he appreciates places like Mary's place in Minneapolis which only receives private funding.

The refusal to recognize that there is a problem with homelessness  is akin to sticking one's head in the sand and hoping the problem would just go away.  What these council members don't seem  to recognize is that  for the first time ever there is a 80 person waiting list for Anoka County lone homeless shelter, but then again if they ignore the problem it doesn't exist..

The reality is that homelessness does indeed exist. Once proud and successful people become homeless because of disability, economic or simply having unexpected high medical expenses that sends their mortgage into foreclosure.

One Sunday there was a homeless person who happened to walk into the building our Sunday school class was meeting in because he needed  a place to stay,  As I reflect on this person's situation I was reminded that the homeless have very few options of where they could go.

Not in my neighborhood seems to be rallying cry of many of the outlying suburbs.  Many may have forgotten, but before the city of Minneapolis stepped in to approve Mary Jo's place, this woman with a heart of gold tried to get some of the southern suburbs to approve plans for her homeless shelter.  One by one she presented full color displays and one by one each city rejected those plans essentially telling her, "not in our neighborhood."  It is more prestigious to have a upscale mall than a well designed homeless shelter in their back yard.

Whether we want to believe it or not homelessness is a growing problem and we do not need politicians to stick their heads in the sand and pretend it doesn't exist.  Unless we give people the dignity of having a bed to sleep on and food to eat they will never be able to work toward bettering their lives by retooling their skills  so they can find a decent job so they can afford permanent housing.  The homeless are in a state of survival where their primary focus is looking for their next meal.  They cannot focus on self actualization as Abraham Mazlow describes in his hierarchy of needs..

Just for once I would like the general public to reflect on the numbers of people who have gone on to become successful as a result of the safety net programs.  

It seems that we are more concerned about creating brand new stadiums to house our professional sports teams and provide creature comforts for those attending them than we are when we pass by a dirty person with a card board sign that says, " please help me, I'am homeless"  Why is it we are OK about spending billions of tax payer money on new ball parks for the wealthy than we are about spending money that will provide a safety net for those who find themselves homeless?

The video tape included on this blog interviews men who have found themselves homeless.  As you will see from this video these men are not too much different from you or I.