Christmas comes but once a year
It sneaks in like a frightened deer.
We find ourselves not quite prepared
And often wanting and despaired
We rush and fumble buying gifts
Things we hope will fulfill a wish
We think of those who need our care
And those with whom are closest there
Yet what of those beyond our sphere
The ones that wander and sleep in fear
They walk a road, which the thoughtless say
Is the pay of choices carelessly made
They pass them by with a look and a sneer
“Why don’t they find work, instead of sitting here?”
Or they throw them a dime, a penny and such
And satiate their conscience, they’ve done so much
Yet imagine if it were long ago
You watch as another lies ailing so
One passes by, then two and three
They pass the man but fail to see
But then there comes a soul more wise
He stops and kneels at the poor man’s side
He treats his wounds and gives him drink
Now which of them is friend to the man do you think
It’s an easy choice but the lesson will stay
For we are faced with this every day
Our task is to help, to care, to serve
Whether deserving they are is not our concern
Just roll up your sleeves and lift with your might
And the pay will be what the lord sees as right
Therein is joy, and peace to the soul
Therein is the way of the master of all
Ok, it’s a corny poem but I felt the poetic strains flowing through me. I have been able to find a wee bit of service opportunities myself. As I have been playing the pipes on the streets, I have met some truly needy people. Not all are in such a position, but some are truly desperate. One such individual is a man named Elmer. Elmer is a man in his late sixties. He has a full beard and a disheveled look. One could easily pass him by and discount him as just another bum on the street; many do so. I met him early on in my adventures as a street performer.
As I walked by him, he merely complimented my on my Pipe music. I thanked him and began talking. He said I was welcome to play near him anytime. As the days and weeks went by, I would stop and chat with Elmer. Soon I came to find out that he was a truly fine individual. Through our conversations, I learned that he was drafted into the army at the age of 18. One day he was told they were going on deployment, but not where. Twelve hours later, he found himself floating to earth over the skies of Beirut, Lebanon. He recalled the sound of the bullets passing by him. Looking down he saw nothing but small bursts of gunfire. We were at war and he was floating down into the thick of it. His small company of men found themselves in a town square with enemies on every side.
They were immediately in a firefight. Fortunately, the enemy was not skilled with modern weapons and couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. They fought until finally finding cover. He recalled the event with a sort of bland emotion as if it were no big deal. He was a Sniper and was in harm’s way more times than he could count. For his service, he received nothing. In fact, he told me he was in a dispute with the V.A. (Veterans Administration) over his benefits (retirement and such). The dispute had gone on for five years with no resolution. His marriage ended badly, and his wife refused to allow him to even see his three children. He longs to see them but has so little self esteem that he feels they would not want to know him. He worked in restaurants most of his life. He found himself out of work and no one would hire him, because he did not have a High School Diploma.
Finally, he was forced onto the street.
Now he carries his life possessions in a small backpack and panhandles for enough money to pay for a small hotel room for the night. Who knows why he is in the situation he is in. Perhaps he has made bad choices, perhaps he has been a victim of some type of addiction, but regardless he is a quality human being. He is loved by the Lord, and so I too must care for him. I made a plea to the members of the church I attend to contribute coats, hats, gloves, anything they could for helping these people. They responded and soon I had coats, gloves and blankets meant for those less fortunate. I began with Elmer. He had no gloves at all. Facing a cold winter, he would be in trouble. I was able to give him some warm gloves, a nice down filled parka with a hood, and some warm blankets to keep him warm at night.
It was heartwarming to see his face light up at the gifts. It was a testimony to me that the Lord does indeed care for his children, but we are the means of accomplishing that help. Elmer is still on the streets and he still relies on the generosity of passersby. Let's start helping the Elmers of the world.
