Beggars: To Help Them Or Not To Help Them

I’m a Nigerian who lived in Nigeria, so I am not new to beggars. Although it’s not anyone’s image of America, there are beggars here, too. Remember when I saw my former high school mate on the street begging? I have not forgotten that incident yet. It’s like every other time I stop at Walmart, there’s someone begging for something. I used to just indiscriminately give to anyone (if I had it) because there was no way for me to know if they were lying or not, and I figured it’s God’s business to punish them, if they’re lying. I still feel that way, but I do not just give to anyone these days. I try to assess the person.

For example, there’s a White woman at Walmart who I’ve seen several times begging for the same thing: money for her meds. I don’t believe her. She always smells like an ashtray and looks like she’s high on some cheap stuff. I don’t believe that she buys any legal medication. I remember a young Black boy – about 15 – who approached me inside Walmart to tell me that he had just returned from school and was locked out of his house and was hungry and wanted to go to the McDonald’s inside Walmart to buy something. I gave him the only cash I had on me: $5. I watched him after I gave him the money. He rushed out of the store and did not buy anything from McDonald’s. About a week later, the same boy approached me again and told me the same story. He didn’t remember me, but I remembered him. I told him I knew who he was, that he had just told me this story last week, and that I wasn’t going to give him shit. He left — after doing a bad job of acting confused.

Couple weekends ago, Igwe and I rolled up to our favorite Chinese restaurant to pick up our order. A white woman in her 40s came to our window to tell us a sob story about how she and her man had a car that broke down at Mars (which was about a quarter of a mile from where we were) and that they had been standing outside for 40 minutes, freezing. She said they lived in Elkridge, but her brother in law lived on Pulaski Highway, about 8 minutes from us. Her brother in law was willing to drop them at home, but he needed them to hitch a ride and come to his house, so he could drop them. So she wanted us to drop them at her brother in-law’s house. Igwe said no. And I was thinking, hell no.

If were up to me, I would be giving people free rides all day. I feel bad when I see people standing outside, especially in the cold. Remember when I told that Nigerian man to sit in my car because it was cold outside (and I didn’t know him)? However, many good Samaritans have been robbed and killed over their good deeds, and unfortunately, you can’t trust strangers and go around giving people rides. This woman, by the way, looked distressed, like she could have been high on something.  Oh, and her story absolutely made no sense. Why would your brother in law tell you to hitch a ride to his house so he can give you a ride home? Why can’t he just come and pick you up? If he’s only 8 minutes away and you’ve been in the cold for 40 minutes, you brother in law could have made the trip 5 times by now. Yes, I was calculating. As you can see, my Math teacher taught me well.

By the way, when Igwe said no, she rolled her eyes and walked away, as if we owed her a damn ride. I don’t believe that she and her man had a car that was broken down somewhere, nor do I believe that she had a brother in law waiting for her somewhere (with a car). I think she just wanted us to take them home, and we were not about that life. Sorry, boo boo.

I have never given any amount which, in my opinion, has changed a person’s life (because I don’t even have it to give). But with the little that I do when I can, I always hope that it helps, even if it’s just to buy a sandwich. It’s unfortunate that the fake beggars are ruining it for the people who really do need the help. I’ll say this though, I have come across quite a number of Hispanic people, and a lot of times, they have children with them. I always give them money because as a fellow immigrant, I feel like it’s my social/Christian duty to help them. I don’t know their story. I don’t know their immigration status. But I feel like it’s my obligation to help. However, I cannot help everyone. I am only one person.

I know some people don’t give to beggars because they believe that all beggars are fake (like Shane Warren who makes $60,000 a year from begging on the street) and that they are actually quite rich and just taking from other people, and while that is true sometimes, what about the other times? What about those who really need our help? I just don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to help someone who really needs it, just because there are those who don’t need it. The holidays are coming, and while we’re making plans for ourselves, let’s not forget those in need.  I want to say that it’s God’s duty to step in and help His children, but that’s probably what He’s doing through the rest of us. I don’t know why some people are stinkingly rich while others are desperately poor. Some day, God will explain Himself.

For now, I’ll use what I have to do what I can.

P.S. Every time I help someone, I imagine the person to be Jesus doing undercover work, and I imagine that once I look away, he’ll turn back to Jesus and ascend into Heaven — or maybe just disappear and reappear in Heaven. I don’t know how these Holy people move around — especially with gas prices and so much pollution these days. And I sing that song in my head, whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto Me.