Difference To Know Poor People

I often tend to view people as two different types: one who will drop what they are doing and help someone, or the one to carrying on with life only to care about themselves. As I read through this article, “Does It Make a Difference to Know Poor People?” by Michael Jordan Laskey, I realized that more people should strive to interact with helplessness and those in need. The main character of the article, Mike, was in Lower Manhattan where he and a group of classmates were handing sandwiches along with hot chocolate to the homeless. One of the first people Mike met there was a man named Jian. Jian, who did not speak any English at all stood next to Mike the whole time. However, Mike felt the sense of awkwardness and the desire to keep passing …show more content…
I knew it was a big issue in society, but just never experienced it first hand. My school along with my church did many food drives, clothing drives, along with fundraisers for my community. I found it really insightful how this article described that drives don’t allow us to confront the struggle or experiences of homelessness. It is easy to just hand over a few sweaters that we don’t wear anymore. How does one grow a relationship with the problem when all one does is hand over items they don’t want? I often think to myself, what needs to be done in order to open the eyes of society to help them see what’s around them. I’m guilty of this too; it is so easy to over look the sufferings of someone. What helped me open my eyes more to the sufferings of society was listening to the speaker last week in class. She made me realize that this is happening right here in Omaha. Now I look back and think this is probably happening right now in my hometown. What I thought was poverty free and no one experience homelessness is probably false. As Gula mentions, “ to be a human person is to be essentially directed toward others” (67). I may want to change the world, but I can’t do that in the snap of my fingers. It is going to have to start with being with others and forming the relationships in serving with …show more content…
I appreciate how he is so open to everyone regardless their looks or personality. Along with reading this article and following the wise words of Pope Francis I reflect back to what is holding me back from doing the common good for society. It is easier to say I will do something than actually go through with my words. I want to be able to experience relationships with the poor people along with making improvements in their lives. As Gula mentions when we “adequately consider” someone we are reasoned by faith (66). A dream of mine is to become an elementary teacher, and I know I will have students who come from more of a rough background than others. There are going to be times where I experience a student is not getting the right treatment that they should be getting at home. What am I going to do about it? How will I make sure a student eats three meals a day, and is able to show up to school in clean clothes everyday? I want my students to feel they are the images of God, and know I will provide an opportunity for them to achieve their goals in