It is better to give than to receive…this was such a wonderful idea, and to be able to participate and help Payday for Business be Angels on The Street was so moving.

When Andy shared the Secret Suitcase story with all of us, and we watched the video telling the story, it was overwhelming and touching at the same time:  the giving that was done anonymously at the time of The Great Depression when so many people were hurting, when $5.00  was equal to $100 today and how many lives that giving touched.

As Andy shared how he learned of this wonderful giving and was connected to it, his vision for how we all could impact our community and each other in lieu of our traditional holiday gift, and gave us guidance on the money we were to give to others in need, a woman who is homeless that had been “living” around a gas station near my home came across my mind.

Last year I co-wrote a song called “Her Place is Her Place”, about a homeless woman, the struggles she faces, her pride, how people perceive her, how it’s what in her  heart that makes her makes her space,…”where-ever she goes, her place is her place”…this woman as well as some many other unfortunate people who are homeless were a part of the words of this song….

So, I ventured out over the weekend in hopes to find the stoic homeless woman to give her our gift – Through all my searches, I did not see her anywhere!  I was so frustrated, I drove up and down the streets that are near the gas station to no avail…it was a cold windy weekend, perhaps she had sought other shelter…On Sunday night I tried one more time, but had no luck.

On the next morning, the day of our company’s sharing of how you were an angel on the street, on my way to work I tried to make another attempt to find the woman and give her our gift, but did not see the woman around the station, anywhere.  I went into the station and  asked the attendant about a homeless woman who had been at their station in the spring and summer months.  The attendant said, ” yes, she was here all summer, and I understand she has moved farther west” (maybe as a result of the weather becoming colder?), so I thanked the attendant and drove down the road, heading west, hope in my heart, but, still did not come across her…

As I was driving towards the Payday office on cross streets, I came upon an elderly couple waiting for a bus, and since I wanted to have my giving done by our WOW meeting, I decided they could probably use the $100.00.  They were Arabic, they told me they were from Egypt, and didn’t speak English well.  I was finally able to help them understand that I didn’t want anything, that I wanted to give them a gift from our company and for them to use it in any way they needed.  By now my tears are free flowing, and I was so grateful that they accepted the gift…they thanked me, they both shook my hand, and said that they were at the bus station at that same time every week day and that if I ever needed anything to look for them there…wow…..

Thank you Andy and Sylvana for this wonderful giving experience this holiday season!  I still look for the homeless woman every day, and have not seen her yet; when I do I will give her some cash or food, whatever I have with me, and be an angel on the street for her too.  I hope that she is safe and warm and has other angels looking over her…

Paula