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Why I don't like to give out money to strangers

 

I love to give knowledge, but I do not like to give out money to the vast majority of those who are unrepresented by any organization. That reason is multi-faceted. For one, I'm in debt for thousands from student loans trying to make a living and develop the income and assets necessary to raise a family, and giving out money is essentially putting me further in debt. In addition, I have been intentionally homeless for various periods including as long as 8 weeks, and know from experience that money is not necessary to survive as a homeless person in America because of the large safety net here, & that wisdom and knowledge are much more important. In addition, I have developed this website that is far more beneficial than if I gave each homeless and poor person that asks me $1,000 if they used the website appropriately because of the knowledge within it. Most people could care less about my website who I give cards to with it listed on the cards because they are looking for short term instead of long term solutions, a quick high or a bandaid instead of surgery. I would much prefer to help with surgery, thus the creation of this website. In addition, I have seen where those that I have spent a good amount of time with, far more than in a quick conversation with a stranger, have taken money from me that I gave them, said it was going in one direction, and have used it to buy a cigarette. Cigarettes and alcohol killed my grandfather before I was born, and are not a solution to any problem you may have. You might not use any drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol, but I still have no idea where my money is going if I give it to a stranger like you. Because I don't know, giving you money could be me supporting your death, and I don't want to do that. I do give out some money, such as to my church & sometimes to those in ministry, but that is a situation where I know where the money is going and have a high level of trust established that I do not have with any stranger requesting money from me who is unaffiliated by any organization. I believe that to not tithe to my church would be to rob God. I still gave to the church even while homeless, even though on at least one occasion I had to request the offering basket because they assumed I wasn't going to give because of my homeless appearance in a large church. Even for those represented by organizations, I still get a high number of requests and am unable to healthily give what I'd like to for everyone that asks me, where most invitations are declined or ignored despite the ethos established. In some cases, I believe that those that give to homeless panhandlers are actually doing more harm than good. Even if they use it for a good temporary solution, like a hotel or meal, it is teaching them panhandling is a good option while taking money away from other more cost-effective options for helping people like giving money to organizations that give people clean water for a year for only $1 through well drilling in places like Africa. I have firsthand experience on over a dozen trips in nations with virtually no safety net where the price of a hotel room for a homeless American could provide for much more than that in a place like Nepal, Haiti, Venezuela, or many parts of Africa. In the meantime, while a homeless person has alternative options, like shelters and moving to warm locations like Florida, many people die on a daily basis in other countries because they have no options and no funds from others who live in America & in their own nation. A panhandler in America can make much more money than someone with a full time job working minimum wage in many countries. Because of the safety net of America, panhandlers don't need to spend money on any of their necessities, and if they wanted to could put it all into alcohol and drugs. I once spoke to a homeless person with a job who said that he never paid for food because he never needed to. To get a better idea of what I'm talking about with how giving money to the homeless in America means I can't give the same money to those with greater needs in other countries where there is no safety net, see this video. The concept of stewardship is very important to me & I want to be a good steward of my giving, focusing my giving in places where I know it is going to help the most rather than hurt or only help a little. What a dollar can buy in America is much less than it can buy in many other countries, where that dollar is needed much more than in America because of little or no safety net in so many nations. I have friends in some of these nations who are in need of financial support that I wish that I had more of. That said, I do not condemn those who give financially to panhandlers even though I chose not to give financially. I hope that you understand.

Why I don't like to give out money to most that ask even if I know them

 

I love to give knowledge, but I don't have the funds to give a substantive amount to everyone who asks. I am still in debt to student loans, as mentioned above, & whatever money I give is money that can't go to paying off my debts that are accruing interest until they are paid. Also, cost-effective giving is critical to me, and $100 for a short term mission trip or local US ministry is something that I do not believe is the best stewardship of the little giving that I can do in most cases. $1 can give someone clean water for a year who might die from a water-related disease in certain countries through well drilling & maintenance. A bike can go a long way for an Indian itinerant pastor traveling on foot from village to village. Stewardship in giving is critical to me, and for me it is important that I give more based on where the need is for the highest bang for my buck ultimately rather than primarily just to those who I am friends with. Also, I have friends in ministry in highly cost-effective countries like India who ask me for money as well. 

I have firsthand experience on over a dozen trips in nations with virtually no safety net where the price of a hotel room for a homeless American could provide for much more than that in a place like Nepal, Haiti, Venezuela, or many parts of Africa. In the meantime, while a homeless person has alternative options, like shelters and moving to warm locations like Florida, many people die on a daily basis in other countries because they have no options and no funds from others who live in America & in their own nation.

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