| How
would Jesus want His people to respond?
v
An
Ideal
Church
Project
A local church might
consider supporting a person during the period of time when they have no
income. Two or three small congregations could jointly underwrite the basic
household expenses for six months. The time is right for churches to consider
adding such items in their budget.
If your church is
not ready to spend money in this way, then as an individual, you can make
a quality decision. Ask friends to join you. Talk to persons at work, in
your church, and to family members.
We know two groups
who have set up a foundation. Anyone can do this. One local group
of businessmen put about $2,000 per year into their foundation, all of
which is spent on the needs of people.
SEE TODAY'S CASES OF NEED
The
DISABLED |
When
an accident, or a disease disables a person he, or she may face many months
with no income. When there is no savings, or when
relatives cannot help, the emotional strain is compounded by impending
financial doom.
It
seems unfair that an attorney must be hired to present a citizen's
request for disability assistance.
Though not actually required,
many of the "clients" we have served believe that without an attorney, they may
not be approved at all. Part of the injustice is that some attorney's are in no
hurry to seek an early judgment. Their fee would be
smaller if they get a favorable judgment too early. IHNM has helped a number
of disabled people during the interim.
One of our clients
waited fourteen months. She had a serious heart condition and a crippling
chronic back problem. Her husband had abandoned her when she became ill.
During
that time she had absolutely no income. Only
by the grace of God and the generosity of many agencies and a few churches
did she keep from becoming a homeless person.
THE WAY THE ATTORNEY
GETS HIS FEE:
If the applicant is
granted a $500 monthly check and he, or she has waited for twelve months
for approval, then the attorney's fee is a percentage of $6,000. From
cases we have known, that percentage ranges from 20% to 25%.
The system moves
at a snail's pace, regardless of the hardship, the delay creates for the
client. Meantime the attorney's forthcoming fee grows larger the longer it takes.
It seems that the
size of his fee is in inverse proportion to how convincingly the lawyer
presents the evidence of his client's need. The emotional anguish
of clients is compounded by this system.
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