Scrolling through Facebook this morning I came across a local yard sale group. A high school senior posted a Go Fund Me request in support of funding for the opportunity for her best friend to join their class on the planned trip to Europe after graduation next Spring.
This child, finishing her grade school years and planning for what comes next, posted a message kindly requesting help.
The comments that flowed from adult strangers to this girl who reached out were everything from supportive to absolutely toxic.
Some of the most demeaning ones were called her names like "beggar", "deadbeat", and "mooch".
HERE ARE THE FACTS:
This student explained that she is working to raise the money
Her mother is, too.
She said she is willing to do more.
And she was also willing to ask for others to help.
The trip cost is $3,000 per person.
For most people, that price tag is very high; for a low-income family, the price tag could be considered insurmountable. This girl believes she can make this dream a reality for her friend.
I pray the hate spewing Facebook trolls that attacked her this morning were a blip on her radar and she is overwhelmed by the love and outpouring of those who gave her real solutions to her request.
SOLUTIONS PRESENTED:
Babysitting:One person suggested offering babysitting services
Candy Fundraisers etc.:We have all seen these work
Car cleaning:One reader said he needed his truck detailed after Hurricane evacuation with his cat (cat hair everywhere he said)
Landscaping:A local landscaping business owner whose sons are going on the Europe trip offered this student a job with him, paying her cash daily for her work! I offered that I would recommend his company to those who request the name of a landscape business. Pay it forward.
HOW MANY OF US DO NOT ASK FOR HELP ANYMORE?
This whole thing got me to thinking about us. About how we stopped asking for help around the end of our teenage years. Was it because that one time we asked for help and someone, or a group of people, reacted in such a way as those on Facebook today? Or was it because of a series of times that all added together? Maybe both?
Ask for help. We are not meant to go it alone.
If I were to write this story as a fairy tale, it would go like this;
Once upon a time, there was a girl name Lea about to graduate high school. She and her best friend, Tea, knew the next chapter of their life was about to begin, which meant the current one would soon come to a close. To celebrate, there would be a glorious excursion to a faraway land. The problem was, Tea did not have a ticket for the trip. Lea knew the only way Tea could go was if Lea did everything in her power to help. Lea sought extra jobs and Lea reached out to her own family for help. Lea, desperate, even reached out to strangers. Some of those strangers were mean. Some threw rotten food at Lea and yelled terrible things, but that did not stop Lea from pursuing her dream. Lea persisted and met some of the nicest, most helpful, people she had ever met. People offered her jobs large and small that not only allowed her to learn new skills, but also earn money along the way. Lea forgot about the terrible things said about her and focused on all the positive things in her life. It wasn't long before Lea was able to present Tea with enough money to pay for her trip and they two best friends were on their way overseas for the best week of their life. The end.
Be Kind, Always.
Love and Smiles,
Carrie Kendon
Matthew 5:42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
