I am not a Christian myelf, but my mama was. there are at least two kinds of christians, those who seek to do good and end up doing well, and those who seek to do good. A church helped me one time when my youngest child was a baby. She is 39 now. But this church and its pastor was special. There was a poor family went to his church one time, and the congregation made fun of how they were dressed. torn and tattered over alls on the boys and the dad, and well used dresses on the girls and the mother. This was at a time here in this area, that it was still considered a sin for women to wear a man's clothes, slacks.
One Sunday the preacher, a young man, came to church and he was dressed like the man in this little family, tattered and torn overalls. and the whole sermon was about do unto others as you would have them do unto you. After that sermon, I no longer felt shame about the things this church did to help me and my kids.
It is really hard to accept charity even in the best of ways that it is given.
I have a commanche brother who lives in Florida, and his business is slowing down because of the economy and the threat of the bail out and what it can do to the country. It will pick back up. It always does. but until it does, even he, a general contractor, must do without some of the things he is so proud to give to his family.
Sometimes it just seems there is many kinds of pain all around us, and not enough to go around when things are needed so badly.
There is a Baptist association here that gives food to the poor. but they talk to you like you are a dog, or something else beneath thier feet, before they let you have it.
It is really hard to have children and accept charity. One time my mama gave some of my dresses away and gave me strict instructions not to mention it to this little girl at school. She wanted me to tell no one about this little girl wearing my dresses. and I never told. At the other end of this was me and my mama sometimes finding ourselves homeless. there was no name for it back in the fifties, but that is what we were, homeless.
I think the matching up of skills is a good way to do charity. Maybe the poor family, like mine was in the sixties, could do something for the person who is helping. this way it is not charity but a swapping of skills. I don't know what I could have done. I really had no skills at that time. But the very best way is to give and not advertise it, if one is a good christian person.
I wish I could do more to help than just support you on this forum RedRose. There are so many people in such terrible ways that they have to live with thier children. Shame is a horrible thing to have to live with.
Prayer works I believe. And I can pray for you. I truly believe Great Spirit, (God) listens.
Hester