Guy has brain tumor. Wife has leukemia. Should I help?

My sister-in-law had quite the adventure. Her story follows:

"Ok, here's one that you might want to post on God Spots:

My friend, on her way into the Mall today to meet us for lunch, ran into a guy who said he had a brain tumor and asked directions to a Seventh Day Adventist Church because they were supposedly going to help him by providing him some money. Ellen (not her real name) offered to drive him to the church (knowing that it was Seventh Day Adventist and, therefore, it was unlikely that anyone would be there). Sure enough, when they got there, no one was there. So she then offered to give the guy a ride home (to a local apartment complex). While riding to his house, he told her that he had the brain tumor (apparently, he DID have a BIG lump in the back of his head, near his neck) and that his wife had leukemia and that they were short $133 to make their rent. They also needed food. She wrote him a check for $150 but he then said that he had no way of cashing the check. She THEN went to the ATM and withdrew the $150 and gave it to him and drove him back home.

There is a part of me that really admires her for having the faith that God would protect her (she said the guy was non-threatening and the only time she felt nervous at all was when she was at the ATM -- not because of anything he did, but she just realized that he COULD do something) and giving so freely of her finances. However, there is the human part of me that says she could have been killed (we kept calling and checking on her, but if he had been crazy, that would not have helped), raped, beaten, etc. and how does she know that he and his wife then didn't go out and get some booze and/or drugs?

I know the Bible tells us that to who much is given, much is expected and we should help the poor. Do I have too little faith and am I not giving enough -- because I am not so sure that I would have done either?? It has made me question how faithful I am in my trust that the Lord would protect me and should I be more trusting in giving to others??

Love
Carol"

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