Thanks for the help, but what I really need is a job!

Sunday July 3, 2022

Harry and Laverne

Over the past few months we have become friends with Harry and Laverne. They are homeless senior citizens who survive by “scrapping”…(searching for discarded metal) that they then sell at the local scrap yard.

They can’t afford an apartment, so Harry and Lavern live with their small dog Buster in their 1986 Chevy Suburban. As we visit with them they laugh and tell us that the odometer has passed 100,000 miles so many times that it’s impossible to know how many miles the old vehicle has traveled. These days the price of gasoline makes it next to impossible for them to use the Suburban to collect “scrap.” Their sources of food are the local soup kitchens and what they receive from “On the Street Ministry” and the kindness and generosity of other by-passers.

Their circumstances are dire, but summer or winter they are always joyous and proclaim their faith in God, constantly extending “His” blessings to all who help them. As Ed and I leave Harry and Laverne sitting on the tailgate of their “home,” we count ourselves blessed that God affords us the privilege of serving others in “His” name.

“What should we do then?’ the crowd asked. John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.’” Luke 3: 10-11

“Thanks for the help, but what I really need is a job!”

It was Sunday afternoon. We saw him resting on a bench at the rear of the courthouse. Holding out our packet of $10, a Dunkin Donut certificate and a prayer card, I said, “Excuse me, my name is Jim and this is Ed. Could you use a little help?” Taking the packet, he said, “My name is Billy. Thanks for the help, but what I really need is a job!” Billy is a 31 year old man. He appears quite fit and is polite and well spoken. I said, “I see a lot of Help Wanted signs around. Have you applied for any jobs? Billy replied,”I have, but when I fill out the application I don’t have an address to put down. They tell me they can’t process the Social Security and other necessary information without an actual address.” He went on to say, “I’m pretty handy. Do you guys know any small contractors that might give me some work? I just want to make enough money to get off the street.” I told him that I do know several small contractors and I’d ask around. Billy gave me his cell phone number and we left it at that. That night I ran into “Pete,” an old friend from Hanover who does a lot of small jobs and is occasionally looking for help. I told Pete about Billy and asked if he might be able to use him. Pete said, “Maybe, if he has a car. With the price of gas, I can’t be running up to Brockton every day to pick him up.” One’s spirit may be willing but it’s not easy to get off the street.

Jesus said, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Luke 9:5-8