Yes, They are with Us

Marjorie has started a little business managing property for a friend. He has given us five of his rentals to manage. Two of them are currently bringing in rent. Two are vacant, and one renter is on his way out. We remodeled one house this spring and are happy with the renters; they seem happy with the house as well.

The current house we’re working on is not a bad little home. Two bedrooms, one bath, a good-sized kitchen with two living areas. Central heat and air, a one-car garage and a large yard; much bigger than mine. The house is in pretty good shape, all things considered. But it’s on the east side of town–the low-rent district. It would fetch a few hundred more on this side. The neighborhood there is not too bad. The house across the street is well-maintained, as is the one to the West. Some of the houses need paint. Some are a little worse than that. But the street is quiet. There are far worse streets on that side of town.

Marjorie has been taking rental applications for the past few days, and we’ve met some interesting characters. Everybody seems very nice. Most have had some pretty hard luck. All of them are struggling just to get by. Making just above minimum wage doesn’t leave much after the rent is paid. Some of the applicants are single parents, others are a couple; none of them are married. Many are only surviving due to government checks.

“The poor you will always have with you,” Jesus said. And how right he was. But these days we don’t concern ourselves that much with them. The government checks keep them from starving. Or crime. Or rioting. We can say, “Get a job,” but the jobs they can get don’t pay the bills. Think of this: earning $10 and hour a full-time job pays $400/week. Take out 15% for taxes, and that leaves them with $1360 a month. $450 for rent, $250 for utilities, $400 for groceries, leaves only $260 a month for whatever else needs to be done. Put another way, I can get a mortgage if the payments are less than a third of my income. Preferably more like 25%. In the case of many renters, $450/mo rent is right at 33% of their income. That cuts things pretty tight. Impossible for a single mom with a child who needs daycare.

It is easy for, reading this on our laptops or smartphones, with the DVR recording our favorite HD shows in the background to ignore this sad reality. It is easy for you, viewing this from your hotel room, vacation lodge, or grandchildren’s house to think that the poor just need to work harder or something. It is easy for even the most elephantine Republican to think that “somebody” needs to do something about this plight.

Let’s assume that the government cannot or should not “do something.” It is then up to me and my Church. Realistically, a congregation can pool together and give assistance to one, maybe even two or three families–enough to allow them a decent home, a working vehicle and enough to pay for groceries and medicine. We have had a dozen or so applicants for this one house, though. And the street is full of people who are in obvious need of help…and the streets to the north and south and east and west.

We can throw our hands up and say it’s hopeless. The poor we will always have, after all. Or we can help, as we are able. Donate all we can to thrift stores, raise the alarm in our congregations, get to know the charities in your community and find out how you can help more directly.

Or turn a cold heart to them or hope and pray the government will do something.

At least pray for them. That’s a start. I will be.

Possibly Related posts:

1. Unsettling Questions
2. Epiphany House Blessings
3. A Semi-Return
4. Living As a Disciple
5. Kids and Cabin Fever