Ever received "charity" from a beggar....i have

well its true.....i have accepted some thing from a man who d definetly find himself on the Below Poverty Line list of the government,if he was accounted for in the last census(which i doubt!).

this Jan i had helped organise an Art of Living course at a premises near my college,DCE .after a lunch and breakfast session enjoyed by 60 people .there was plenty of mess that was screaming to be cleaned.
i went around that block looking for a sack(or "bori") to stuff the trash into . a (destitute) man who lived in a makeshift tent alng with his family saw me and asked what i was searching for.he looked like a labourer to me . i told him what i needed and asked where i cud get it.quite surprisingly,this man went inside his makeshift tent and brought out a jute sack(like the ones used to store veggis in the mandi).when i offered money ,he refused ,saying that it was smething that was lying around in his tent! Most people I know including myself recognise things in our homes "worth giving away" only when we shift ! i recently gave away 10 trunks of clothes when i shifted last month.i admit it,i too am a part of the problem(just like you probably!).

What Richness! given the man 's state .....that value of that bag to him could be equivalent to say our car to my dad .....and he gave it to a (rich)stranger who was in need. perhaps equivalent to me giving charity to Ratan Tata!Bizzarre no!? i may be exaggreating .......but hey i m talking about a man who has not even " roti" let alone "kapda and makan".

The big question is
When will people like you and I start giving to those who really are in need and become more aware of others' needs rather than our own simply?

you shouldnt forget today ajay..u were returned a 50 paise dude..the beggars have reached a standard....

well ajay..that was so nice of him..but you know what.we shud not encourage beggars. especially kids..they beg for a rupee or two and have you ever seen what do they do with that money??well i have seen ...they simply but a packet of beedi or tambaku(tobaco) and get high..
instead of giving em money we should offer them something to eat or wear.so that they could fill their empty stomachs and cover their bodies...

Or may be offer them job if they are above 14..

very true....its actually ppl like dem who r richer dan us at heart...

hi ajay...
u very right when u say "When will people like you and I start giving to those who really are in need and become more aware of others' needs rather than our own simply?"

I give u 10 on 10.

but my concern is HOW TO IDENTIFY THESE REALLY IN NEED PEOPLE????

well yeah man my 2 fifty paise coins nearly gt refused ...even beggars hv standards now!

abt recognising those in need ........well we are surrounded by them.....our very own maid needs it .....people who live under flyovers do....orphans.......refugees .this is india dude...we are surrounded by them!

its good to try n identify those in real need..n even better to set out to do so..but i have seen this that lot of us start to do something, n unintentinally over a period of tym.,..loose out the touch..these things need dedication..but wat they need more than any other thing is regular time n trust....coz if these ppl dont trust you..they wont let you help them watsoever......

ajay it's not charity people need,they need jobs, education,food.we contribute not when we give alms to beggars,but when we discourage them fro begging

@ samridhi

yeah i agree they need somethng that ll help them help themselvs . that s the real solution after all!

but if we cant provide that .....lets atleast provide them soupkitchens!