Perspectives

Poverty isn’t something I like to dwell on in this blog.  While the Center does provide clothing, food, and medicine to the girls, our real purpose is far beyond fighting poverty.  It does hit me, however, like a slap in the face almost every day here.  I’ve been to most of the girls’ homes – at least all 4 of the neighborhoods they come from – and I’ve seen what life is like in the slums.  We’re hoping to visit one of their villages before we go home, too.

I’ve seen poverty in America.  I spent three months working in the projects of the poorest areas of my home state.  It’s different here, though.  Their houses are bamboo or metal walls with thatched roofs, and their wallpaper is discarded newspaper or magazines.  Each family shares one bed, a wooden platform with an inch-thick mattress at best.  There’s usually some water pitchers there, and some cutlery.  While they have almost nothing, they don’t know what it’s like to have more, and they cherish what they have.  Those with toothbrushes keep them in neat baskets hanging from the walls.  Everything is well-organized, and treasures are kept hidden from sight so neighbors aren’t tempted to steal.

These girls also love to give us gifts.  I was reading about the five love languages the other week, and it pointed out how universal the language of giving gifts is, and I totally agree.  These girls have almost nothing, but they give us little candies or necklaces or bobby pins, and you know what a sacrifice it is for them but you couldn’t tell from their faces.  They’re just so happy to give, to show their love.

I feel like America could learn a lot from these girls.