"Hey, Pastor, Can You Spare a Buck?"
Not all tourists who come to Cape Cod bring enough money. That makes things awkward for pastors such as John Michael at First Baptist Church in West Harwich, when strangers drop in seeking aid. In addition to providing a meal at a restaurant a block away (billed directly to the church, so no cash has to be handed out), Michael frequently offers the chance to do some work around the church for wages. Many supplicants decide they're not that desperate, but some are willing. "I was getting disgusted at not being able to appraise these people and their stories," the pastor remembers. "Local needs are one thing, where we can do some investigating, but often it's young people who are stranded, looking for a job, maybe on drugs—who knows? We couldn't just keep passing out funds. "So six years ago the deacons set up a new policy. It takes the decision off my shoulders and puts it on the person who's asking—and it's been a great relief." A young man in his 20s, for example, spent two days last fall scraping and painting, trimming hedges, and cutting the lawn, for which he was paid $3.50 an hour. A man in his middle 40s put in five hours raking leaves in order to earn cash. "I keep a list of things that need to be done," says Michael, "checking with the custodian periodically, especially for jobs that require climbing. The young drop-ins can be a real help to us with that. Meanwhile, they save their pride."
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