In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson declared a War on
Poverty in his State of the Union address. Fifty years later, how have American
families advanced? We are not too much altered 50 years later in 2014. When you
visit your local stores I’m sure you have noticed everything is rising except
our pay. Most of us have had to learn to get by on less, and tight budgets are
a necessity to make ends meet. Well, what happens to the families that are already getting by on less? These
days, families have to persevere. Not to build moral character but in order to
survive. Research shows that, on average, families need an income of about twice the federal poverty level
to meet their most basic needs In some households they are not meeting
those basic needs.
Christmas especially is a time when my heart goes out to
those families, and the homeless. It’s a hard lesson to learn to count the
blessings you have, and not dwell on the blessings you don’t. Many families are
discouraged when they are trying so hard to survive all year round and then,
here comes Christmas. What do you say to a child when there is no extra money
to buy gifts, even a small one? What do you say to a child that believes in
Santa when Santa won’t be coming to their house this year? ‘Belief’ is right up there with ‘dreams’ and
that’s what we want for all children. I myself never want to see that
sense of wonder of hearing the Christmas Story, the ‘Gift of the Magi (teaching
about unselfish love), or A Christmas Carol (teaching about generosity,
kindness, compassion and the universal love for your community) gone from a
child’s world of wonder. Families sometimes struggle so much every day to make
ends meet through no fault of their own that the pleasures of life have been
worn away. The homeless are also longing for an end to the aloneness caused by
being homeless and the accusatory looks from passerby’s that can’t even imagine
what it would be like. It is not for us to judge any fellow human being, just
open your heart and let your love be passed from one human to another, its that
simple. Don’t over think it.
When I see the outpouring of donations during our
Christmas Basket Drive it reminds me of the many individuals that show love for
one another. Our city is known for tremendous outpouring when a need arises.
But there are also those that judge.
The basket programs in Decatur do a service for families
and they do it well. When the meaning of Christmas leaves your heart and you
complain about the commercialization of Christmas or the money that is spent,
or not spent (for the benefit of the business owners) reevaluate what have you have done to put back into the meaning of Christmas. My Christmas is much more
meaningful after coordinating the preparing of around 350 families Christmas
Baskets knowing their Christmas will be more enjoyable for them and their
children! Much more meaningful watching the number of volunteers that come out
in all kinds of weather to help with the baskets and watching all the donations
that comes to us to make all those baskets possible. Placing your happiness in
the happiness of others is what Christmas has come to be part of. Christmas
means different things to different people. What does it mean to you? To some it’s
just a word, to Christians it marks the day that God loved us so much he gave
us a wonderful gift. The gift of pure unselfish love and the ability to love
our fellow man!
What is Christmas? It is tenderness for
the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish
that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every
path may lead to peace. ~Agnes M. Pahro
Wishing everyone
a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Kwanza, H
Francie Johnson,
Program Director Community Services/Decatur Area Project
Christmas Basket
Drive Coordinator
Francie (R) with MHS Representative and their donation of Christmas Socks, 2013
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