Outside my house there are two ‘beggers’.

One is the infamous ‘scuseme guy’ the other is a newer, younger man, who sits slumped in the doorway, holding a sign that says he is hopeless and homeless and anything would help.

Because I have had the firm (and potentially un-examined) belief that in New Zealand, there is NO REASON to be homeless, I have walked past both these men many times).

But the other day, we were talking about loan sharks and suddenly it hit me, that a person can get themselves into a lot more bother then having NO money. They can have negative money and a loan company with a hold over them. And in ANY country, when you have basic living costs coming in, and massive loan repayments going out, the spiral is downward and sharply pointed.

Then I started thinking, even outside of this, there are probably numerous ways to fall from grace. Especially when you don’t come from a comfortable middle class background with parents and family (and friends) to fall back on in times of financial crisis… And a basic understanding of finance, delivered simply by living in a world full of people WITH money and good incomes, and savings and investments.

Quick smart I stopped feeling a sense of anger when I was asked for $2.

But I am now wondering WHY are people homeless in New zealand. I know there are people who prefer to live on the street, whose lives are lived there. I know there are people who may suffer a mental illness and/or may be unaware of the services available to them… But does that cover everyone? Do I have a man sitting on my doorstep who is so discouraged, so hopeless and so alone that he feels the streets are the only option available to him?

I wonder if we had a little more understanding of the reasons, as a community, we might be a little more supportive….