The CEO of the registered charity Feed the Poor Ministry, Gasper Henry, declaring that he was once homeless, has urged Saint Lucians to show empathy to street people.
“Some persons believe because they have today, they will always,” Henry said during an interview recently broadcast by the Government Information Service (GIS).
But he told programme Host Kendell Eugene that no one saw the November 6, 2022, trough coming.
The trough brought heavy rainfall that resulted in devastating floods in the North of Saint Lucia, with millions of dollars in losses and damage.
“That is an example to make us know that we must have empathy. It just takes one trough, one natural disaster to make you homeless. We must not turn a blind eye to the homeless but reach out in our own little way to see how best we can assist,” the Feed the Poor Ministry CEO declared.
Henry expressed conviction that if everyone plays a small role, it could positively impact homeless people.
“I too was homeless,” he disclosed, adding that he lost his police officer job in 1991.
In this regard, he recalled being in a house and unable to contribute.
And Henry explained that under those circumstances, people watch you closely regarding using things like sugar and water.
He recalled that, eventually, his uncle said he could no longer stay in the house.
As a result, Henry said he stayed by the beach.
Nevertheless, he asserted that he never gave up.
“You see, when you go through these crises, you must preach to yourself and I was preaching to myself: ‘Gasper you are homeless now, but you are going to get out,'” Henry recounted.
He said gradually he welcomed divine intervention in his life.
Nevertheless, Henry said it was not an easy life being homeless.
“You have to have tenacity. You have to have willpower,” the Feed the Poor Ministry CEO observed.
In this regard, he called on his brothers and sisters going through tough times and who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic to continue enduring.
“Hold on. Press on. Do not give up,” Henry advised.
He credited divine guidance with the launch of Feed the Poor Ministry, which has served meals to the needy since 2006.
Henry’s wife prepared the first set of meals which the couple funded from their savings.
The initiative has since received support from corporate sponsors.
You’re not wrong about having some level of empathy. But if one has kids who don’t want to take them off the streets. Or has friends who don’t want to take them off the streets. Or relatives who don’t want to take them off the streets. One has to wonder what kind of person is on the streets.
sugar and water they watch alone?? try electricity and bread …….well papa if u werent contributing towards such things at home then u stick in dattt
@justsaying, I am a very empathetic person and I do agree with you to a great extent. However circumstances can force many to evaluate their life and overall behaviour. Ppl can eventually change, maybe too late for their family members but enough to be a lesson to others.
Let’s not forget that humans are by nature egocentric. Anyone who claims not to be, is full of it. No matter much love is in a relationship ( family, friends, partnerships) the I comes first. One will try to save a drowning person but will never willfully go down with he/she. There is no other way but to stay alive in order to save another. There is therefore a limit to which one can assist another, regardless of their relationship. Helping another gives one a feeling of worthiness, satisfaction and joy, just knowing that you were able to make a meaningful difference in another’s life but the fact always remain that the I comes first. Always be thankful for any help you may have received from another, no matter how limited it may be. Don’t burn the bridge you just crossed.
Man I always keep you in my prayers cuz u are a man of god, god has given you a gift to care for the poor he has bless you keep doing the lord’s work but wait lest asked our self this question the hotel throws food ever day and they make sure it’s be’ing dump and here u are trying to feed home less people with no money man the poor will always stay poor and the rich will always be richer
@True vibe your question is an extremely valid one.
Our hotel industry can help immensely do the maths.
Why can’t the powers to be devise a strategy to circumvent hotel food going to the dump!