I completely agree with you Rob. We should each take care of our own "village". As a child I was raised helping family, friends, members of our parish, and friends of any of those. They were people we knew, or people that knew people we knew. Soup kitchens and blind handouts were there, but not very often. Most effort was kept within "our village". Proximity played no role...just people. Everybody helped everybody, even the ones who couldn't physically help back. They usually found someway to repay the favor to someone else in the village. I try to show my boys the same system and I can't wait to move out of the wasteland I'm in right now and get my family into a small community in the hills so they can really see how people should live. I've been on this street for 13 years and barely know my immediate neighbor's. The homeless population here is out of control and the drugged out welfare recipients are everywhere.
That's why I can easily get in on this one. You say these folks need a hand, I can give a little. Like I said, I wish it was more, but I do what I can. Had this been a link from someone in another village, I likely would sit out. It's a terrible situation and I feel for the boy and his family. Without the link to our village, it's just another sad story and unfortunately they can't all be helped. I hope everything works out for the best for these folks in the end and this is soon just a crummy memory.