The sun was already setting behind the horizon, but daylight still lingered in the sky. People watched with steady gazes, as a fiery red sphere of light slowly sank below the horizon and wisps of light pierced the sky, until all that remained of the sunset was darkness. Then, suddenly, the clouds lingered together, growing darker as time passed. Heavy rain flooded the streets. Fortunately, many of us can stay in the comfort of our own home and avoid getting wet, but many of us have to suffer the agony of having no real place to call home. What if everything was suddenly taken away from you, forcing you and perhaps your family to live on unpredictable streets with little or nothing? It may not even cross your mind as a possibility, but this is the reality for over 100 million people around the world. We can all do something to help those who suffer. And it is our sole responsibility to help those in need, including the homeless. A common stereotype for homeless people includes being lazy or unwilling to help themselves. However, homelessness is often a direct consequence of poverty and a lack of affordable housing. But among those remaining are those who abuse substances, the mentally ill, or, more often than not, caught in a cycle of hard times. In the United States, 1 in 7 people were at risk of going hungry. Furthermore, 3.5 million people were forced to sleep in parks, under bridges, in shelters, in their cars or directly on the streets. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, there have been more than 600 sexual assaults and assaults against homeless people in the past decade. Tracy Kidder points out that: “Throughout the world, the poor have by far the greatest odds of con... means of paper... that people may face. This is not a good state of mind to be in, let's forget mutual help and compassion. But if we keep remembering that we can do our part to help the less fortunate, things would be better for everyone. So what will you do to help your fellow humans in need? Works Cited na An obligation to help the homeless. March 3, 2014 .Ascher, Barbara L. “On Compassion.” Anderson, Chris and Lex Runciman. Open-ended questions: reading for critical thinking and writing. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2005. 657-659. Fairchild, Mary. “christianity.about.com.” and How to Help the Homeless. 03 March 2014.Foxworth, Rodney. and our responsibility to help eliminate homelessness. March 03, 2014.Kidder, Tracy. "The good doctor." Anderson, Chris and Lex Runciman. Open-ended questions: reading for critical thinking and writing. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2005. 645-654.