Meet Mr. Musa Abdullah, a man who just came in to the area recently. Several locals reported seeing him recently hanging around the local Walmart and other locations.
Mr. Abdullah purchased a van from a local establishment both to live in and use to work out of. He has a job with a local business owner who we spoke with and who relayed his story to ease public concern.
Musa is at the moment homeless, having moved to the area recently with little to his name. He is laboring to earn a living and has the money for a new place. His employers have contacted numerous organizations locally that assist the homeless but have had little luck for them to take in a single male.
A local police officer ran a background check on him which came back clean after several locals had made complaints against him. Mr. Abdullah says that there was a misunderstanding that he wanted cleared up and he meant noone any harm.
In today’s age of better be safe than sorry, it is understandable why the public was wary: a stranger in a van asking questions raises red flags. In brings to light another issue, to myself included: take the time to get to know someone and spread kindness whenever possible. Thankfully in this case, enough locals in our area did just that and are working to help this man get back on his feet.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
