By Scott Ledbetter
11-15-2012
We seemed to have dropped off the radar this month. I thought I would let all of you know what is going on. We are currently in Springfield, Missouri. It has been cold at night.
How we got here to Missouri is an interesting story. I had a friend who told me there was a job for me, and another one for Ruth, and a place to stay. In fact, there was machinist job in Summersville, Missouri making machine guns for both the US military and the IAF.
The owner also had a house for rent and his wife said she would make sure we had the house. The job was to start around the 6th of November. However, a few days before, I called him from Mountain View, Missouri, and he told me he hired someone else with more experience. There are very few jobs out in that area, so we hopped a ride to Springfield.
It took us no time at all to use up the money we had in finding a place to stay. A relative of mine who is also a Pastor, refused to let us stay temporarily with him and his family, but he blessed us with $20.
We spent a couple nights in a storage unit until they caught us and said we could no longer do that. Another night was spent outside with no tent and no covering whatsoever. All we had was two small sleeping bags someone had blessed us with. It dropped to 25° that night.
We have been applying for jobs, but four days being unable to take a bath makes us smell really bad. No one wants to hire a stinky homeless person.
A woman walking to Wal-Mart took pity on us and took us in for the night. Then we walked from far north Springfield to Sunset and almost US65 to the Missouri Career Center for a Five Guys Burgers and Fry's job fair. Because I'm Jewish and my beard, they said they would have to talk it over and decide. We had eaten nothing that day and had no money.
Myself, Ruth, Rachel (17), and our dog Pepper. Everyone loves Pepper, the 5 year old miniature Dachshund, but we can not ride the bus with him and can not take him inside places.
Springfield and Greene County are a Conservative Christian area. My relative is big in the Republican party here. I never asked to be on the dole or to be on government assistance, but the majority of Republican Conservative Christians here will cross to the other side of the road to avoid being near someone not like them.
Last night, it was cold, we had no place to go, and no money. If you ask for someone here to give you some money for food or shelter, they will call the cops. If you sit down somewhere because you have been walking all day, and you need a break, someone calls the cops on you.
My shoes have holes in them. When it rains, frosts, or dews, my feet get soaked. My knees and feet are swollen.
I knew last night we could not sleep outside again. One man rolled down his truck window a small way and pointed us in the direction of a church. Trinity Lutheran was just letting out, but they graciously helped us out. They gave us food, and put us up for the night.
The senior Pastor there said this town is hard on outsiders. Ro get a job here, you have to know someone. Eventhough we know someone here, that is not helping.
We believe in working. We are not asking for a hand out, but a hand up. A job and a place to stay is all we ask for. But to Republican Conservative Christians, that itself is too much.
In Matthew chapter 5 and Luke chapter 6, the Saviour says to love even your enemies and feed and take care of them. In Matthew 25, the Saviour says that all those who refuse to feed the hungry along with other things, they will be cast out. In John, the Saviour gives the Commandment to love each other as He loved them. Remember the Golden Rule and the Good Samaritan?
Romans chapter 12 beginning in verse 9 says how Believers are to both love each other and their enemies. First John chapters 3, 4 and 5 as well as 2 John say to show love to others. Love our neighbor as ourselves? James tells us not to send away someone cold and hungry without doing anything but saying be warm and filled.
And exactly what is the definition of Christian mean? Christ like? So does that mean that Christ turned away anyone who didn't look like Him and refused to help others because He loved His money more than others?
I will be updating this at a later time. Could not pay my phone bill so we have no phone. Only have internet at motels. Keep us in your prayers.
Scott
Ye Olde Journalist
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