To Give or Not to Give

A familiar sight in downtown Oaxaca are the street children and the beggars. Responding appropriately to requests for money from children or beggars on the streets is one of a missionary's most difficult challenges.

I remember my first mission trip to Mexico where we were told "Do NOT give to beggars". This seemed to make sense to me at the time. It was certainly easier to follow a rule...just don't give. I didn't have to think, I just had to follow the rule.

Then I moved to Mexico and was confronted with this challenge on an almost daily basis. I began wondering if there really was a rule that would cover this situation. I saw Mexicans giving to beggars, I saw Americans giving to beggars, I saw both refusing to give to beggars and more confusing still, I saw the same people sometimes giving and sometimes not giving. So what was and what is the answer?

I think the answer lies somewhere in the fact that I have to look at street children and beggars as children and people. Something happened last week that made me revisit this challenge and my response to it.

I was having coffee at one of the restaurants on the central square in Oaxaca. A little boy about 6 years old came up some of the other restaurant customers and was asking for money. His request was making the customers very uncomfortable. The owner of the restaurant came over and said to the little boy "Good morning. Could you please move over here (and indicated a place away from the customer). It is cold out this morning, are you hungry?" The little boy nodded and the owner told him to wait. A few minutes later the owner returned with a cup of warm milk and a piece of bread and gave it to the little boy.

About five minutes later a homeless man approached the restaurant. He wore ragged clothes and looked unkempt. As he approached the restaurant customers, the owner walked over and greeted the man. He asked the man if he was cold and then said "why don't you wait over here and I will get you something warm to eat." The owner then left and returned a few minutes later with some warm food for the man.

Both of these people, the six year old boy and the homeless man, were obviously begging. The customers were uncomfortable and wouldn't make eye contact with them. The setting was a commercial establishment that depended on customers paying for food. Yet the owner looked both of these people in the eye, greeted them as any customer would be greeted, and offered food. Both the six year old and the man left with a smile on their face.

I know all the reasons for not giving to beggars such as it is not uncommon for people to force children to beg, some people have material goods but choose to dress as homeless people to beg for money, giving to beggars will only continue the cycle, people can find a job if they really want one, etc.

That homeless man, that six year old boy, the restaurant customers, the owner, and me are all God's children. I am reminded of the words in Matthew 25:35 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink..."

I still don't know the answer to the question of should you or should you not give to beggars and probably never will; yet I saw a clue in the attitude and actions of the restaurant owner.