My Great Great Great Great Grandfather, Benjamin Pepper led wagon trains across Texas, back when Texas was less hospitable. It was his responsibility to make sure everyone made the trip safely, and I’m sure there were lots of obstacles along the way that made his job difficult, if not discouraging.
One of the ways in which people assured they made the trip successfully, was to work as one team. Everyone participated in the work required. It wasn’t a matter of who was responsible for what task, everyone did what needed to be done, regardless.
When rains came, the road became difficult to traverse. And as wagons road over the same path, eventually the mud would become thick and deep, and sometimes a wagon would get stuck. Because the one wagon could not move, the whole train stopped, and everyone gathered to plan and execute the rescue of the wagon from its suck place.
How well do you think it would have gone over with the others, if one person decided he wasn’t going to help with the wagon? I could just hear this one person complain. “Well, MY wagon didn’t get stuck. It’s not my stuff in that wagon. Why should I get into the mud and put my shoulder to the wheel? It’s your wagon, get it out yourself!” Just think if everyone in the wagon train just stood around, watching the owner of the wagon try to unstick the wagon by himself. Or worse, just imagine if everyone just left the wagon and its owner behind as they continued on their way.
Being homeless is like getting your wagon stuck in the mud. The task of getting the wagon free requires help from many people. Abandoning the owner of the wagon to go at it alone is just not right.
Of course, there are some people who try to help the homeless by giving them food and drink. And as much as that is needed and appreciated, it is akin to giving food and water to a guy trying to get his wagon out of the mud. If no one ever actually helps the guy get his wagon out of the mud, it will remain there. The task of getting out of homelessness is just too difficult to achieve by oneself. If no one actually gets into the work of helping a homeless person achieve a home, he will always be homeless.
If you want to help the homeless, you’ve got to get into the mud and put your shoulder to the wheel.
The Homeless Guy 
I found your blog a few weeks ago and always look forward to reading it. It’s really opened my eyes.
I have to admit, I think you have a typo at the end of the third paragraph:
Because the one wagon could not move, the whole train stopped, and everyone gathered to plan and execute the rescue of the wagon from its suck place.
While I assume it’s supposed to be “stuck place” and not “suck place” there’s a certain irony in this mistake and it should never be changed. Sometimes we all need help getting out of our suck place because sometimes things really suck and we don’t have the power on our own to get out of it.
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Love it! Great work, as always. Now, if only we could change the world with it… đŸ™‚
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