We’ve all seen homeless people on the street at some point, and though our hearts go out to them, it’s rare that we actually stop to help them. Cesia Abigail Baires, however, is a young woman who did take the time to help a homeless man, and it paid off for both of them in a big way.

Cesia owns Abi’s Cafe in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and one day, a homeless man named Marcus walked in and asked her for some money. Without hesitating, Cesia looked at him and asked, “Why don’t you have a job? You know nothing is given to me for free, right?”

Marcus explained that he wanted a job more than anything in the world, but his criminal record made him impossible to get one, which is what left him homeless.

This hit Cesia right in the gut. She was the twentieth owner of Abi’s Cafe, and though she was working her hardest, she was having trouble keeping it afloat. She was having struggles herself, and she could not help but feel sorry for Marcus.

“I’ve seen him going up and down on Main Street before like a lot of other homeless people,” she explained. “He walked into the restaurant and I felt a connection with him. He came in asking for money.”

Cesia happened to be short-staffed that day, and she desperately needed assistance, so she made Marcus an offer.

“I was short staff that day, so I asked him, ‘You want to work? I have a job for you!'” she recounted on Facebook. “His eyes opened wide and his smile made my day!!!! He said, ‘I’ll do anything for some food.’ So now for almost two weeks, he’s been on time for his two-hour shift… helping take out trash, washing dishes etc. Once I pay him, guess what he does? He buys food from my restaurant — HE DECIDES TO PAY — because it makes him feel good!”

“With his new job, Marcus has found new confidence in himself and he’s a changed man,” Cesia added. “Do something nice for someone today and don’t judge them just because they’re out there asking for money for we don’t know their situation… some deserve another shot. God gave me this blessing so why can’t I bless others?”

Cesia has said that Marcus has helped her just as much as she helped him.

“He has been a blessing for me,” she said. “I don’t see it as me being a blessing to him. I see it as me being blessed, so I can bless him, so he can bless me.”

Cesia has since raised over $8,000 in donations to help Marcus get off the streets. We’re so glad that their story had such a happy ending!