Back in high school, a couple of my friends and I used to visit a children’s home on Saturday afternoons. It was just a temporary home for kids who, for one reason or another, had to be separated from their parents/guardians. Some of those kids came from very poor homes or homes not conducive for young kids. When we visited the children’s home, we would play with the kids, sing worship songs, perform skits, and even tell them stories from the Bible. Sometimes, we’d play tag, kick a soccer ball around, color pictures, or just watch them as they showed us how to play a certain video game or two. In a way, we were there to just play and interact with them. Bring some joy into their lives and show them that someone cared.
Every time we would visit, the kids were so excited to see us that they’d be jumping all around, each trying to turn our attention towards them specifically. Sometimes, I’d even have two kids grab one of my hands and try to drag me towards the swings or slides. It was obvious that they were glad that we were there. Their eyes would sparkle and toothy grins spread across their faces. You could very clearly see the happiness on their faces when they saw us coming in through the door. The hardest part was when we would have to leave. They’d all be holding to our arms and legs, asking if we could just stay a bit longer. Some would even make us promise that we’d be back again to visit or else they’d never let go.
Because of the time I spent with those kids, I firmly believe that just giving monetary donations to those considered “poor” isn’t enough. No doubt, money would be helpful in providing for their basic necessities such as food, clothes, and shelter, but I believe that people should take a personal interest and get directly involved in helping the poor. For some, poor doesn’t just mean they are lacking in monetary funds. For some, poor means they’re lacking in happiness, compassion, and love. I know that those kids at the children’s home benefited more from our direct interaction with them than if we were to just donate money to the facility. What brought a smile to their face was the fact that we took time to just talk and spend time with them; that we cared about them. The direct contact we had with the kids made more of an impact on their lives (hopefully for the better) than any money we could have given to them.
If you really want to make an impact, a personal one, I believe getting involved is the key. While I believe that a personal interaction with the poor is greatly beneficial, I admit that obtaining enough funds is still important. Without the proper funding, the basic necessities to live on aren’t easily available. People need food, shelter, clothes, and other basic amenities; even the poor. In order to fill those needs, money needs to be available. For those who really can’t find the time to get actively involved, it becomes easier to just donate monetary gifts. I understand how time-consuming family, work, and/or school can be and I acknowledge that for some, monetary gifts is all that they can spare. What is most important is the intention behind the action. Don’t give money just because you feel obligated to, because other people are doing it, or because it will give you a tax deduction the next time tax time comes about. The giving should be because you actually care about those who will benefit from your generosity. For some, they just give money because it’s the easiest thing to do and they don’t have to “dirty their hands” in the process. They give and they feel as if they’ve fulfilled their philanthropic obligations. If that’s the case, what’s the point of giving in the first place? Would you still give even if you knew the target people weren’t getting the majority of the money being contributed? I believe it’s important to remember the people in need. I may come off as being an idealist, but what’s wrong with that? All I know is that while money is an important facet when helping out the poor, people need to remember that a little bit of personal interaction can go a long ways.
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