Hope For The Hopeless

Music has always played a huge part in my life. It has helped me through things that were difficult for me. It has made me happy when I didn't think I could be. With one song I can go back in time and re-live a road trip with my sister, or dancing in my best friends garage when we were small kids. But most of all, it has been an inspiration to me.

A perfect example would be Hope for the Hopeless by A Fine Frenzy. I hear this song and it makes me think of all of the people all over the world. Those in Africa, or Haiti. The homeless that fill our streets here in America. They're hungry, in need of a home. Maybe they need clean water, or clothes. Blankets for the cold, harsh weather.

Ever since I was little, I have always had a passion to help the ones in need. When I was four my mom worked for the food pantry when we lived in Ohio. We would go out to the projects, poorest of the poor, and bring food to the people who lived there. My brother, who was three at the time, and I would walk with my parents. They would hand us the two bags of food that was on top of the rest and when they knocked we would hand those bags to the people and my parents gave them the rest.

When I was six, my mom had her own ministry in South Carolina. For three years we fed the homeless every Saturday because that was the only day no one came out to give them a good meal. My brother and I would help in the kitchen, making the eggs. My moms volunteers, and also good friends, helped make the rest of the food.

I am now sixteen. I've been feeding the homeless with my youth group through the coalition for the homeless for almost 5 years. I've only missed going four times to feed the homeless in the those 5 years. I have been in the service ministry my whole life. I go downtown every month and see how thankful they all are to get a good meal. They always have the biggest smiles, constantly thanking us as they go down the line. Some sing songs of praise. Others say "God bless you all!" when we hand them their food. I've had a couple start tearing up, and say things like "You have no idea how thankful I am for what you all do. Thank you, so much."

When I go downtown and see their smiles, I see that their hope is restored. It makes me happier then ever to know that I played a part in that. But, what makes me sad is hearing on the news that a homeless man died because a teen thought it would be fun to beat the crap out of him. Or to hear someone criticizing the homeless. Saying they're worthless or lazy.

My youth minister told us this, "We all have our own stories of how we got to where we are now, even the homeless."  No one knows how we got to where we are now, and no one knows how each and everyone of the homeless men, women, and children got to where they are either. Don't be so quick to judge them, or anyone for that matter.

Hope is out there for everyone. But sometimes, we need to be the ones to go out there and give them that hope.

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Homeless statistics

Hope For The Hopeless by A Fine Frenzy song (Youtube)

Hope For The Hopeless Lyrics

Coalition For the Homeless 

Teens attacking Homeless