When we arrived in our community, we were introduced to a local minister who, with his wife, was dedicated to helping the poor in the community. They would collect food, furnishings and such to give out to the less fortunate.

At least that's what we were told.

It wasn't two weeks, however, until we began to find out more about the minister. He asked if I wanted to ride with him to the grocery store, and, although I didn't desperately need to, I figured I'd go along just for the company. Along the way, he asked if I had any gas money. Well, I figured, the ride to town's worth something, so I bought him some gas.

Big mistake.

This only ENCOURAGED this individual. While I was trying to run an errand business, he would call and ask me to pick up a 12 pack of soda for him. When I arrived, he wouldn't pay for the soda OR the gas (always an excuse).  He constantly tries to pawn useless items off onto us so that he can get gas money or food money or something of the sort. This is a never ending cycle for him.

Part of the problem is that the items are items he had DONATED to him under the pretense of giving them away to the poor. Part of the problem is that I don't need most of the items he's trying to sell. When I do need the items, I usually buy, if I can get a better deal from him than I can elsewhere. But usually, I don't need them.

This man is a VERY vengeful man. I found this out when I pointed out the illegality of him using community service workers to do yardwork at his personal home. He threatened me repeatedly for that, and used language that, frankly, a minister has no business using. He's a blackmailer who uses the "helping the poor" excuse to gain personal information on the families he helps to try to use against them later. I found THAT out the hard way.

He owns seven properties around town, most of which were donated to him. He has bought TWO houses while I have been there, and reroofed and added a fireplace to one of the houses. He outbid a friend for a stove that the friend's granddaughter badly needed, pretty much severing ties with that friend. And yet, he STILL expects me and others to foot his gas bill and pay his expenses (I have seven mouths to feed; he has TWO).

And now, he works part time at the library. So, he comes in and offers to sell me a $5 Sonic gift card so that he can get gas money. I don't need the Sonic food, and, frankly, I work hard enough for my money. He then asks if I have ANY money for gas, even a couple of bucks. I strongly detest lying for any purpose but don't really want an unneccessary confrontation in public. So I lie. I tell him I have to use my checking to fill up the car.

He storms out: "Thanks for nothing!"

Frankly, I could fill up his tank today. And, under certain circumstances, I just might have done that. But I have come to realize that I have a duty to raise MY family; I do NOT have a duty to raise HIS. This man has MORE than enough money at his disposal; he has FAR more than I do and FAR LESS people to care for than I do. I encounter FAR more needy people on a daily basis, and if I'm going to hand out money, it's going to be THEM, not to a professional mooch.