Give with love, kindness this holiday season

December 23, 2005

Paul Maguire\Spectrum

At Thanksgiving, our governor gave $10,000 to a human service organization for turkeys. He'd just purchased a $2 million jet. I'm embarrassed for us.

The longevity bonus was eliminated and the Anchorage Assembly proposed fining some people like you and me, who just happen to experience homelessness, $300 for panhandling. U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, with an airport named after him, reminds us of HIS $3 billion for Alaska. What portion of this money brought specific, direct and sustainable resources to the homeless and poor of Alaska?

Poor people take the bus. Who's the bus station named after? Why don't we know?

What about our $30 billion Permanent Fund untapped for &#8220our future?” The future is an assumption. Politicians can't get elected when suggesting use of this fund. I wonder why they don't run for office on the &#8220extinguish hunger, poverty and homelessness” platform? Maybe because they cater to the profitable &#8220oil platforms.”

The more we save, the less we will be able to give. The less we have, the more we will know how to share.

What about the 1,200-1,500 homeless children in Anchorage schools? The 2003-04 Kaiser Foundation reports the number of metropolitan Alaskans living in poverty at 44,310 (14 percent) and 41,630 (13 percent) in nonmetropolitan areas.

Every Alaskan should have food security, plumbing and permanent shelter. Let's worry about human empowerment and self-determination after bellies are full and people have roofs over their heads.

Consider this story about giving from Mother Teresa:

One night, a man came to our house to tell me that a Hindu family, a family of eight children, has not eaten anything for days. They had nothing to eat. I took enough rice for a meal and went to their house. I could see the hungry faces, the children with their bulging eyes. The sight could not have been more dramatic.

The mother took the rice from my hands, divided it in half and went out. When she came back a little later, I asked her: &#8220Where did you go? What did you do?”

She answered, &#8220They also are hungry.” &#8220They” were the people next door, a Muslim family with the same number of children to feed and who did not have any food either.

That mother was aware of the situation. She had the courage and love to share her meager portion of rice with others. In spite of her circumstances, I think she felt very happy to share with her neighbors the little I had taken her. In order not to take away her happiness, I did not take her anymore rice that night. I took her some the following day.

What about food waste and food insecurity in our land of abundance? Remember O'Callaghan's thwarted effort to share the &#8220fishes (and loaves)” in Muldoon one summer? &#8220Health code violations,” said the municipality. In Alaska, even food that is abundant, but not commercially processed, or processed for profit, isn't good enough for our poor.

I wonder how poor Alaska families living on either side of the proposed Don Young's Way and Gravina bridge are doing? Do they worry about paying for heat, food and shelter?

When responsible Americans suggested using federal &#8220bridge money” to support those in Katrina's path, two prominent Alaska politicians responded: &#8220Kiss my ear?” and &#8220I'm gonna quit!” Role models? I wonder what blessings could be bestowed upon Alaskans if these elected officials considered &#8220divide it in half and go out.”

Saint Vincent De Paul stated: &#8220Never forget, my children, that the poor are our masters. That is why we should love them, with utter respect, and do what they bid us.” The poor may include those feeling abandoned, alone, neglected, weak in spirit, or needing affection. This, too, is poverty and may include Alaska politicians.

We should learn how to give, not as an obligation, but as a desire. Mother Teresa told her co-workers: &#8220I do not need your surplus. I do not want you to give me your leftovers. Our poor do not need your condescending attitude nor your pity. The poor need your love and kindness.”

Paul Maguire is a Palmer resident, professor and spiritual care volunteer at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.