Today we have our first ever guest post, except it’s not really a guest post as Krystle the author is now very much part of the Rich and Happy project.
Since she wrote it things have taken a turn for the worse for homeless people here in Orlando. The local government are currently trying to make it illegal for charitable groups to feed the homeless in Lake Eola Park.
Complaints by local people and businesses has meant that the City Council has gone back to the law courts in an attempt to be able to enforce a law passed in 2006. The law forbids the feeding of more than 25 people in the city parks without a permit. Not so bad you may think, until that is you realize that no organization can be granted a permit more than twice in any one year.
We will let you judge what you think of that, but needless to say it doesn’t really fit the How To Be Rich and Happy outlook.
Homeless Does Not Equal Hopeless
I recently volunteered for a local organization that helps collect and donate food to the homeless. It was an amazing experience and a wonderful life lesson.
It was through this organization and my work here that I was able to meet and connect with Steve. Steve is one of many homeless adults struggling to survive on the streets. Steve became homeless just a few years ago after losing his job and subsequently the apartment he was renting.
At first when I tried speaking with some of the homeless adults who had come for food, I did not get much of a response. I was trying to get to know some of them, pass out some food and pass along a few copies of “How To Be Rich and Happy” as well. While everyone was taking the food I was offering, I could not get anyone to take the book. Then Steve came along.
Steve came over to me and asked flat out why I was trying to give homeless people books. I explained that this book is a powerful tool that can help people change their lives for the better. I explained the million-book giveaway project the authors John P. Strelecky and Tim Brownson are working on. I went on to say there is a list of people that the authors are hoping to target as people to receive the books being given away, and that homeless people are one of those target populations.
Steve then asked me, “Why?”. I began to explain that the authors believe that this book can help people who are currently homeless because it can teach them how to take control of their lives and their own happiness, and how to improve their situation. Steve responded that is not what he meant. He clarified that he meant why do the authors care about what happens to the homeless population?
Steve told me that while this local organization does a very nice thing by feeding him every week, that is it for him. That as a homeless man he is stereotyped, labeled and treated with no respect. He stated that because he is homeless, people are afraid of him and don’t even want to speak with him let alone help him improve his situation. He said that it is like this for every homeless person struggling to survive right now.
He said the reason I could not get people to take copies of the books was because they did not trust me. He advised that they could not believe that someone would care enough to try and help them so they did not trust that I did not have some sort of ulterior motive in giving them the books.
As we were talking, I noticed something happening. Some of the other people who were there and initially did not want to speak with me began coming closer and listening to what we saying. They began asking questions about the authors, the book and the give away. Some even took copies of the books! Steve assured me that if I continued to come back week after week, I would be able to build relationships with these people and give away even more books.
The lesson that I took away from that day was that homeless does not equal hopeless.
Homeless people are human beings. While it is important to feed them and help house them, it is just as important to get to know them as people. Steve taught me that just like you and I, homeless people have wants and needs, hopes and dreams and if given the chance and the right tools they just may be able to achieve some of those.
I took away a similar lesson when I had a training in Curacao for sports people. A girl stood up and said frankly: first people are guessing if they can trust your intentions. Mostly they feel tricked, used and rejected. That’s their dominant history which often creates a cynical attitude.
Second: do you really offer something that can better their lifes in their perceptions (not yours) and last but not least: ‘people don’t read Roel! Reading is the habitat of your reference group, Roel. We only tend to read phonebooks for numbers and price lists. Maybe we become interested in reading, if before that we had intense real face to face contacts, which evoked so much curiosty that we passed a hill!