(~) Waiting Silently

He was standing there this morning just as he has done for the last year hoping to gather some change from people.

His "spot" is just at the corner of the library where I work.When I am coming from my bus stop I pass him and it has been my habit to give him something for his hat. When the weather is warmer he will have "DFer" which stands for "D for Dog" resting near his feet. She is probably a Heinz 57 breed and she adores him. Her name I know but his name is unknown to me.

Like every other city in North America we have our homeless here in Ottawa, Canada, and panhandling isn't allowed. So they stand waiting silently hoping for someone like me to drop a coin or two in their cup or hat. I used to avoid them at all cost but last year I learned what almsgiving really meant and so this man became the focus of my giving.

For me it became a part of my ministry to never pass him without giving him something and so it continues.

What I discovered this morning is that he too has a ministry of his own which taught me a great deal.

You see, this morning when I passed him he was busily digging in his small backpack for something. I stopped as usual to give him something and he looked at me only momentarily before starting to search again. Around the corner, he told me, was a man who had no mitts or gloves, and so he was going to give him the extras that he had.

Heroes show up in the most unlikely of places. To most of the world this act of heroism will go unnoticed, but not to me. Yes, he has taught me a lot about giving. I give out of my wealth but this man gives out of his poverty.

I think tomorrow I will ask him his name.

-- Janis Perkin