Iryssa Posted March 15, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 117 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 3,860 Content Per Day: 0.56 Reputation: 9 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/10/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/13/1984 Share Posted March 15, 2006 Don't give the money. Think about it....if you were a poor refugee or a helpless citizen in Pakistan, would you have access to a computer to ask for money this way?? Would you even know how to speak english?? *shrug* looks like a scam to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christ's Free Servant Posted March 15, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 197 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 2,461 Content Per Day: 0.35 Reputation: 4 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/18/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/31/1949 Author Share Posted March 15, 2006 I read this thread the other week and thought nothing of it at the time, then a few days later I had some guy from pakistan contacting me on MSN saying they saw me on these forums. And just like others have said, after a few conversations in good nature, they started enquiring more about me and then asked for money so they could come to the Bible College I am currently at! I just used my wisdom and all to discern because I had exactly the same thoughts as other concerning giving to people in need etc. They stop talking to me now once I said I couldn't give anything. Same here, once I convinced her I was not going to give to her, she disappeared. She also began the same way with questions about how I'm doing, asking me about myself, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christ's Free Servant Posted March 15, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 197 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 2,461 Content Per Day: 0.35 Reputation: 4 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/18/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/31/1949 Author Share Posted March 15, 2006 I would be careful about this. I would say what others have said, tell her you will pray for her. There is a couple that live in a town not far from where I live, and a lady told them that she was a victim of hurricane Katrina and she was beaten and robbed. They felt sorry for her, took her to the hospital paid for it, and spent around $3000 on her. I guess she stayed with them for a while. Come to find out she doesn't live anywhere near where Katrina hit. She lied to them. They stopped helping her. She started telling the police a sob story and I don't think they bought her story either. You have to watch out and be very careful of people. Some do this for a living. I have a member of my family who has made this her profession. She likes to use that verse about if someone asks for a coat that you should give them your shirt, as well, or something like that, and if someone does not give her what she wants, she says they are not being a good Christian. The whole guilt trip thing is one of their ploys. And, yes, there were many, many people who took advantage of the government and generous people during the Katrina situation. It's sad, because it is people like that who cause us to be skeptical and suspicious of everyone who asks for help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christ's Free Servant Posted March 15, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 197 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 2,461 Content Per Day: 0.35 Reputation: 4 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/18/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/31/1949 Author Share Posted March 15, 2006 Sue, your so soft hearted....I like that. I had this problem too, I use a new rule now. I ask what is your immediate need...for example...I was approached once with the lamentation that these parents couldn't buy their kids winter coats....we really need the money to buy them some coats....4 kids....Instead of giving them money, I e-mailed them asking for the childrens size and whether boy or girl...I would buy them all coats and other winter gear and send them to their addy. They e-mailed me back once and said they preferred cash....I told them I preferred to send them coats...I never heard from them again. You did the right thing Love and Blessings, Angel Very wise! Yes, I am a very compassionate and merciful person and I love nothing more than to help people. We were able to help a couple of families housed in our community who were Katrina victims from New Orleans. We gave them cash, because we knew they had nothing and they needed to buy even the basics. The apartment community had already checked them out, so they were legitimately in need. Then, we got word about some college students whose condo (owned by one of their parents) burned down. They were at home when the fire broke out, but it went really fast, so all they had time to do was just get out with their lives. One girl did not even have shoes on. We heard about their need through a girl who sits next to me in Spanish class. I found out that one out of the three girls came from a very poor single-parent household and she had no insurance, so she literally lost everything she owned. We also gave her a check, because we knew she would have to begin again from scratch. She wrote us a really nice thank you note expressing how much she and her mom were blessed by this gift, which I had told her was from the Lord. She said she had nothing, and we helped her get back on her feet. I love helping people like that! I pray all the time that God will show me people's needs so that we can help. But, we need to be wise, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iryssa Posted March 16, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 117 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 3,860 Content Per Day: 0.56 Reputation: 9 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/10/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/13/1984 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Sue, your so soft hearted....I like that. I had this problem too, I use a new rule now. I ask what is your immediate need...for example...I was approached once with the lamentation that these parents couldn't buy their kids winter coats....we really need the money to buy them some coats....4 kids....Instead of giving them money, I e-mailed them asking for the childrens size and whether boy or girl...I would buy them all coats and other winter gear and send them to their addy. They e-mailed me back once and said they preferred cash....I told them I preferred to send them coats...I never heard from them again. You did the right thing Love and Blessings, Angel *grin* I wish I had your tact, people. If it were me they told that junk story to, I probably would have retorted with something mean I would have regretted saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix Posted March 16, 2006 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 22 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 397 Content Per Day: 0.06 Reputation: 9 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/24/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted March 16, 2006 This makes the Lord very angry...that people steal from people's compassion. This is a mockery. Compassion, meekness, and sensitivity is always very good to keep. The meek inherit the earth. But how can we deal with problems like this? We can stand firmly with the Lord. I will pray first to the Lord if someone asks me for money. I have faith that the Lord will reveal what I should do next. Sometimes money may not be what the person really needs. I would ask if the person would be willing to pray with me and speak with the Lord. If they do not do this I will ask them...how can the Lord help you if you are not willing to ask Him? Do not expect me to do this out of my kindness...I have none in myself. I can only obey the Lord and the kindness I show is His kindness. If they are truly in need (or if they are faithful), they will pray with me. Otherwise they are most likely trying to scam. The Lord will show us who is in need. This is a function of the Body. Each member provides for the needs of each other. The Lord will lead us on how to fulfill this need whether it be money, physical help, word of encouragement, admonishment, prophecy, etc...the Lord will lead us as we faithfully trust and obey Him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
>> Hannah << Posted March 16, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 28 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 164 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/09/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/06/1987 Share Posted March 16, 2006 its a difficult one, cos obiously you stuck as to whether she is telling the truth or not. and then if u ever were to find out the truth that she wasnt lying then that wud be pretty difficult to deal with. what concerns me is how did she get ur email? cud she of got it off worthy? also how has she access to a computer? from what you have sed it sounds very fishy to me. offer her your prayers, which are more valuable than anything money can do in someones life anyway. bless you xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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