A Piece of Gum

As an employee of PATH I have become very aware of the homeless population within Los Angeles and within Hollywood especially.

We operate in sort of a contradictory manor really; we are trying to help the people we encounter on the streets - to get them into shelter and ultimately into permanent housing - and we are working to create conditions where they want that shelter. In other words, we are working to make them comfortable and to be their friends and at the same time raising awareness so that the community will make them less comfortable, making shelter a more enticing offer.

Sometimes, it feels like working on a double standard, but really it makes sense. So long as a homeless man can get every bit of sustenance that he needs sitting on a street corner, he has no reason to actually make a change. Making that change requires tremendous effort and means following the rules of society - which many homeless deliberately rebel against.

We do not give the homeless money. Money can be used to buy any number of things that perpetuate homelessness, from alcohol and drugs to companionship to hotel rooms. Giving money to a homeless person allows them to feel that even in their predicament they still have some control over their lives - a desired commodity, but not one that is helpful in getting them into shelter.

On the job, we give homeless lunches to keep them for the day, but given that we see them only once a week, our rations are not what is sustaining them. We bring around clothing and blankets as well, and items for personal hygiene. Off the job, however, I rarely have anything of the sort handy. I think that I have found a perfect medium, however.

I still do not want to give money to the people of the streets, however, there is this one man whom I have passed many times riding home from the gym or walking home from the bus stop. He does not ask for anything when I pass by, which makes me more inclined to offer something at all, and he gratefully accepts what I offer - gum.

As a Christian, I find it very difficult to balance not giving money to our clients with still wanting to help - there is no way that I can always have an old pair of jeans or a sandwich in my backpack to offer, and even then, it's not entirely helpful. But by giving this man a piece of gum as I ride past, I have given him something pleasant to chew on, something that will help his teeth, and something that will not sustain him. So I have made him a little more comfortable, yes, but I have not given him the means of continuing to live this way here.

Even if he doesn't enjoy the piece of gum (I haven't stuck around to find out) He smiles and thanks me for it, and it ministers to my heart to know that I have at least extended a hand to say hello. The first time that I passed him I had literally nothing else to offer. Now I make sure that I have gum with me to share. The best things in life are those that we can enjoy in community, whatever that community may be. Who knows, maybe that piece of gum will be the thing that opens the conversation about shelter at some point.

Or maybe next week he will still be waiting for another piece of gum.