by Jazmanian

Created on: September 04, 2007

Humility - Coming to the End of Myself

Stepping into the Medicaid office, the atmosphere almost smothered me. I never thought I had to succumb to this level of help. I had seek help countless times before, from babysitting to moving, from learning Algebra to Zoology, I never hesitated to ask for a helping hand, at least not until now.

I heard a story about a "Godly" man who was stranded on the rooftop of his house because of a flood. His neighbors went by in their boat and told the man that there was still room in their boat to fit him in, but he rejected, telling his neighbors that God would send help to him. A while later, a rescue boat with Red Cross workers came by wanting to lend the man a hand. Again, he rejected claiming that God would send him help. Okay. You guess right, the guy was never rescued and he was eventually struck by lightening and died on top of his own roof. He did get his deliverance from God alright-lightening, an "Act of God" through nature.

Though I have strong faith in God, yet it is nothing like the foolishness the man in the story portrays. I know in my current storm, I need help by means that God provides, means like the neighbors and the Red Cross workers in the story of the foolish man. In my case, Medicaid was the mean that God provided (I will explain why and how I got Medicaid for my son in a future article, and why I am assured that God provided it at the right time).

I used to study about poverty issues in my graduate classes, but I never thought that I can come so close to be in this category. It was different when I read about poverty by authors like bell hooks or when I worked at some of the community centers where children affected by poverty spend their after school hours. When you are actually in poverty, the sentiments are no where compared to studying or reading about it. I got to taste a bit of it lately since my whole world has in a way been turned upside down over the last three months (Now I see that it was God working all things for GOOD. Another article).

Like the man on the roof top expecting God's "divine" intervention, I did not sort out for help at first. Honestly, I have been so reluctant to get help from the government. First of all, to me government help is only for the "poor, and as mentioned above, I could never consider myself "poor." Secondly, I admit that pride is a big factor in me asking for help. Eventually, it was God who "slapped" my face before I earnestly sorted help to pay for my little boy's

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