I will try to stick to subjects that I feel I know something about. Ashcroft is just a name in the paper to me, so I can't comment on that whole issue. I've got lots of opinions about Janet Reno and Waco and all that, but little real knowledge.

Now, the idea of supporting the poor and needy through faith-based charities only... that, I feel as if I know a little bit about. First of all, I would say that we've tried that it in this country already; it was called the 19th Century. Read: Industrial Revolution, sweatshops, child labor, poorhouses, TB, orphanages, high infant mortality... you get the picture. And life was no bed of roses on the farm, either; farmers and sharecroppers came to town in the first place because of crop failures. Either work in the factories, or starve; that was their choice. I think that the churches tried, but I wouldn't have wanted to live in that time.

Several years ago, our perennially poor friends were at the end of the rope. He worked hard at a low-paying job for the housing authority; she stayed home with the two kids (sound familiar?) and occasionally took a substitute teaching job. They were living in a 600 square foot apartment, and intermittently on food stamps. They were slowly going insane and knew the anxiety of being perpetually poor. She had mood swings and occasional despair; he had bouts of anger. They are both Christians, members of a large suburban Pentecostal church.

We couldn't stand it any longer. My husband remodels old houses, so we bought the old bungalow up the street and moved our friends into it. They lived there for three years, with a yard to play in and with plenty of elbow room, and a relief from the fear of homelessness. We did not charge them rent. They finally got their feet under them and moved out into a rental a few miles away.

We did this because Jesus commanded us to care for the poor, and we took that literally. We did it to follow the example of the early Christians, who pooled their resources and lived in community.

My point? Both their original church, and the one they attended later, knew of their poverty. This couple tithed whenever they had an income. Faithfully, even before working on their debts. When they went to their church for help, they were given $25. Once.

If a church will not help its members in distress, how can we hope it will help the homeless, the mentally ill, the seriously down-and-outers? I believe that my own parish does better with acts of charity, but part of that is our location in the poorer part of town.

If others have been on either end of better church-charity experiences, I'd be relieved and happy to hear them.