Pray to help others and God will give you strength

God Can Work Through You, And Helping Others Helps You

Time for a little story. I’m not really a superstitious person but I feel like my actions were a message to the universe and God that I want to help people in a more meaningful way, which partially led to my selection with my new employer. 

About 3 weeks ago I was doing one of my string of 5 different routes in my career position at the USPS. I work in downtown Waterbury mostly. I have come across people who are living well and people who are struggling in this city. On Bank street there is a homeless man I’ve come to know who’s always on the same street corner. A very nice and courteous guy. I always said hi to him. He looks young, maybe in his 40s and has an apparent back problem as he’s always hunched over, but he has a walker. 

One day 3 weeks ago it was an extremely cold day of arctic air that was blowing through New England. The wind was whipping and if it caught you in the face it was the type of air that could give you a cold burn. When I got to this corner of my route the man was inside the lobby of the apartment building I’d deliver to. He opened the door for me. Sometimes he hangs out in this hallway anyways. As I made small talk with him I noticed he had a smartphone and it began to ring. I understand that having a smartphone is no indication of wealth nowadays as some underprivileged people are granted them through programs. It was his mother. While she wasn’t on speaker and he spoke with the phone to his ear, it was so quiet that I couldn’t help but hear her voice in the quiet lobby area while I delivered the mail. 

A Mother's Warmth

“Hi honey, how are you?” She started. Nick, the homeless man  answered matter-of-factly, “I’m fine Mom, I’m just hanging out here in the apartment building, it’s very very cold today and really windy outside.” She still pressed, “Okay, but how are you though?” 

Something about her voice, wanting to hear her son, a homeless man, how he was, how he really was, repeated in my head. I don’t claim to know his family situation or how he got there, but this phone interaction quietly opened up a well in me as I walked out and wished him well. 

I was only just up the road delivering mail when his mother’s voice kept ringing in my head “Okay, but how arrree you?” It actually made me feel like crying for this man knowing that he has family out there that for whatever reason haven’t quite picked him back up. I told myself and I prayed to God that the second my wife and I can be in a better place myself, we would love to help this man. I made myself a promise that we would. 

God Needs Us Now

For a minute that sounded okay and good, but it still nagged at me. “What am I doing? Pretending that we will help when we are already doing so much better? What an idiot I am.” I said to myself. “No, I am going to help this man right now. I will help people whenever I can.”

My route comes back around to the same corner after my street I was delivering. I drove back around and walked across to the mini-mart. “Hey,” I said to the store owner, “what does he like to eat?”

The store owner said, “Oh, Nick? He’ll eat anything.” I then proceeded to buy him some water and a bunch of food. I went back across the street and he was still on the phone. “Oh, hold on a second Mom,” as I walked up with the bag. “You didn’t have to do that,” he said. “It’s okay, I wanted to. It’s so cold outside. Stay warm and God bless you man,” I replied. “Thank you so much.” He said as I waved him goodbye. I could hear him speaking to her as I walked away. “The mailman just bought me a bunch of food.” It was the least I could do.

Good Karma, Or A Message From God?

Less than a week later I got a call with a job offer for the Department of Social Services. I will be interviewing applicants over the phone and in person and determining their eligibility for our beautiful state’s social programs. 

I’m not a superstitious person but I am a faithful person and I do believe that you’ll eventually get what you put out in the world. I hope someday in the future to run into Nick again and help him out a little more. Thanks for reading.