A Story of Love and Acceptance
Here is a story I received from a sister in Christ. Her name is Patricia, and she gave me permission to share. Enjoy.
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We have lived in same place for 25 yrs. When NY put a 5 cent deposit on all bottles & cans some years ago it became fashionable to dumpster dive for cash.
Around that time we noticed a guy (age undetermined - not old not young) came around a couple of times a day. Both mentally & physically challenged. He got pretty good at getting the discarded cans & bottles so we started to pack ours up and leave for him. And so it continues.
Now we see him several times a week very vocal about say hi & thanks. His name is Tommy and we believe he lives in a group home. We give him stuff - a warm winter coat that Richard no longer wears, shirts, etc. And every once in a while he disappears for some time but always comes back,with a beat up face, once with stiches on his head. Apparently "people" pick on him - beating the you know what out of him take his money (and even the coat we gave him) but still marches on. A few weeks ago he told us (once again at the top of his lungs) that he goes to church service every day but twice on Sunday....amazing.
Any a bit of background Yesterday I was taking some downtime sitting on my porch reading hoping it wouldn't rain. The Bottle Boy which is what he is known as by all comes walking up yelling I got something for you,I got something for you. He walked up to me with box that contained 1/2 sheet cake from local supermarket - with it inscribed To My Friend. He had several more in his cart (for other friends I assume) the price tag was $20.99. He gave me the cake and said you & your husband are my friends and are very nice to me. And goes on to tell me I can't do this all the time I only get $200 in food stamps a month but I will do it again soon. And he walked (more like limped) away muttering to himself about his friends.
My reaction was OMG look at this man, challenged in life, no family that you could tell and he spends his money on cakes for his "friends" . Made me think to myself maybe my attitude of no good deed goes unpunished doesn't work here.
God is good God is great.
Have good week bro.