It is heartless not to give to beggars

PATRICIA PLEASANCE of Bonaero Park writes:

A news item in last week’s Kempton Express (“Do not give to beggars“) mentioned details of a public meeting organised by ward councillor Jaco Terblanche. According to a report from Kempton Park Police presented to Glen Marais residents at the meeting, the police warned the public not to give food to beggars on the streets as they suggest that such charity to indigents gives them an incentive to stay on the streets.

Poppycock! The police should know better. No-one willingly subjects themselves to the indignity, dangers and sheer hardship of living on the streets. There is certainly a case for deterring Good Samaritans to give beggars money as they often waste it on purchasing drugs and alcohol.

However, giving them food or an item of clothing could in fact be termed as a Christian charitable duty.

I doubt very much if our Lord Jesus Christ would have refused succour to homeless people. Our Saviour said, the poor will always be with us and that those who show mercy to the poor, sick and needy are in fact ministering to him personally and will be rewarded accordingly. Those of us who profess to be Christians should not do so in name only.

I dare any of the heartless police officers who made that statement, and Mr Terblanche, to spend just one cold winter night under the stars with no food, so as to get an impression of what those hapless people endure, and then to have the same uncaring attitude.

Also we shouldn’t lump all street people in one compartment. Yes, there are vagrants who commit smash ‘n grab crimes on motorists but the majority of window washers and street vendors are desperate, unemployed folk eking out an honest, tough living.

The public can do much to deter smash ‘n grabs by not irresponsibly leaving valuables exposed on the car seat.

The police should by all means concentrate on the baddies but leave the honest guys alone. Chasing them away only moves them on to another locality. Depriving them of a frugal living, whether it be from charitable food gifts or street vending, stops them from resorting to a life of crime, which would make the police’s work infinitely more difficult.

Live and let live. By the grace of God it might be your child begging for a simple crust to eat.