Can anybody help in San Fancisco?

Today I wrote about St. Francis of Assisi. It seems more than coincidental that just a short time later I see a plea for help from the city that bears his name. And this plea, not from someone who wants something for herself, no this person, in the true spirit of St. Francis was making a plea for help for others.

A few moments ago I visited a blog that had a link to another blog with a plea to help a family that is homeless. A lovely woman, her three beautiful children, on the street begging for enough for a hotel room for the night. The shelters are all full and she has nowhere to go.

If you are anywhere near San Francisco and you can help this family in anyway, please do so. If you blog and think you might have traffic that can help her and her children visiting your site please post this link

It breaks my heart that in this day and age, on this continent that this is still a possibility. It is inconcievealbe that it happens anywhere but here? Where we have so much.

And even if you aren't in San Francisco, look around your own town and see who needs a hand up. Spread the word and let's help this family or others like them.

And because it's appropriate I'll repeat the prayer of St. Francis.

Make me an instrument of peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life


~St. Francis of Assisi~

Comments

I understand there have been some problems posting comments on here. Let me know if this works better or if you still have issues maybe if you're on my facebook let me know.

Breeze
Deepanjan Ghosh said…
Ok, I don't want to sound insensitive or anything, but from my perspective, it's just weird that a person with jeans, and sneakers, and jewellery and nail-polish wouldn't have a place to stay. Things are very different in India. Very very different. But I guess homeless is homeless, wherever you are.

Now the $60 will solve their problems for tonight, but what about after that? What happens the next night? This can't be a permanent solution, and I hope, above all, that she manages to find some long term employment. That will solve a lot of her problems.
Anonymous said…
I agree with you Breeze - how, in a continent of "abundance," is it possible that some people are unable to care for themselves and their families? It is just so sad!
xoxoxo
Anonymous said…
YEAAAH! Commenting worked just fine this time!
xoxoxo
Deepanjan Ghosh said…
She calls out to the man on the street
Sir, can you help me?
It's cold and I've nowhere to sleep,
Is there somewhere you can tell me?

He walks on, doesnt look back,
He pretends he cant hear her,
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street,
Seems embarrassed to be there,

Oh think twice, its another day for
You and me in paradise,
Oh think twice, its just another day for you,
You and me in paradise...

Phil Collins - Another Day In Paradise
Double-Dolphin I understand your confusion...she was fleeing an abusive husband with her children is my understanding and left.

The level of poverty here is so completely on a different level than where you are. Or in many countries in Africa. Here you can find help from a neighbor or a shelter or a person walking by who cares because odds are someone who can afford to help will walk by.

In your country it's different in that those walking by are often as poor as those they walk by..no one to help.

So no, not being insensitive at all. That's why I said "on this continent" because on this continent it doesn't ever need to happen, if we spread the wealth just a little bit, fix up things here and then maybe focus over there as well to help other countries. It's just money after all.

With three children longterm employment might not even be feasable, daycare might cost more than she could make with the wages and cost of living having such desparity. It's a tough cycle to get out of sometimes. At least she's in San Fran and not Toronto in February where they'd all freeze.

Btw..typhoon warning over there somewhere? I'm assuming not where you are or you'd likely not be typing!

Be safe
Breeze