Homeless people don't like bed bugs either

There are a good number of homeless people who go to our church. I love that it is a place where people without homes can feel welcomed and ministered to- that they have a place to come and worship on Sundays, and grab a shower, get medical care or counseling, and have a warm meal during the week.

Earlier this evening, I was at church to drop off Zoe for date night (what a great concept! Three hours for the parents to leave the kids and hit the town!). When Mike and I got back, we got to talking with the security guard who was asking if we knew anything about the garbage bag of bedding that someone had left on the steps of the church? 

We didn't, and he told us he was getting ready to throw it out... that people often drop off donations without explanation, and he has no intention of bringing this one indoors.

He then told us about how someone recently came by to say he heard that we have a shelter for homeless people and he wanted to offer a donation of bedding. As he said that, out of the bag of bedding crawled a huge bug. When asked what it was, he replied that it's a bed bug, but that the bedding could be washed.

He then went on to complain about how his place had a bed bug problem, and how pesky those insects are.

A person who does not have a home is still a person. Bed bug infested bedding is something that belongs in the trash, not on the bed of a person who is glad to have a bed for the night.

Donating to a good cause is great... but it is unhelpful, if not insulting, to donate something that belongs in the trash.