The other day, before reaching Lythwood Lodge, we passed a little village along the way. The houses were tiny little shacks, no more than five feet apart from each other. Some were built from brick with tiny windows and a corrugated iron roof. Others had corrugated iron walls and roof. The roof was held down by some odd bricks placed here and there. I felt guilty as we passed the village in our nice rental car on the way to see our friends at a lovely lodge in the woods. I watched out the window and saw four young boys run up the dirt track. It looked like they were chasing some chickens. I gazed out the window as these beautiful young children when one of them, he was about five years old, stuck his middle finger up me!
“Jesus Kobus, did you see him? Stop the car! The feckin’ pup!”
“See what? What you talking about?”
“That little boy just gave us the bird!”
Well, Kobus didn’t stop the car, he just laughed!
This incident lead me to thinking about what poverty is in the eyes of a Westerner. I had watched those little boys run on a dirt road with no shoes on. The houses in their village probably don’t have running water. They are probably boiling hot in the daytime African sun. I had painted a picture of desperation and hopelessness. But then a little boy gave me the finger! And I think I probably deserved it! I don’t know what it’s like to live in his village, I have only ever lived in County Cork and St Helier, Jersey. Is it patronising for me to think that the people I saw working in the fields, the woman on the road carrying a suitcase on her head and a baby on her back, the shoeless boys who chased the chickens were suffering because in my eyes they are poor? I’ve never asked them! I am merely assuming. At home, we are bombarded by images of Africa which conjure up other images in our minds of sickness, suffering, death, ignorance, racial prejudice, HIV, rape, and all sorts of heinous things. But aren’t those things in every country? Isn’t poverty and suffering relative to what is going on in a society? Yes, there are basic things that everyone needs. Maslow’s hierarchy outlines those for us (us Westerners!). And yes, we in Europe are much more fortunate that other people in other continents. I am not disputing that for a second. But I couldn’t help but wonder today if I was not totally understanding what poverty meant and what poverty is because I live in a little bubble in my own world with my lovely husband, my nice job, my nice car and my nice plans to travel around the world and write my thoughts on my Travelietop. Part of me felt guilty for being so fortunate. Another part of me felt that I would not swap my life for anyone elses, not for someone who lived in a little hut in the Natal midlands and also not with a wealthy South African businessman living in Johannesburg. I think I must learn to look beyond what is right in front of my face and question what I perceive a certain reality to be. I have always wanted to help people but I’m not really sure how to do it. I know I am a good listener, I guess that’s helpful. I give money to charity every month from my salary. Surely that’s helpful? In the greater scheme of things, my little bit is a drop in the ocean. But it is all I can do. I can listen and I can give. The funny thing is that most people I listen to are the greatest complainers and they have a lot of material items and have a comfortable lifestyle. The money that goes to the Red Cross is probably going to people who get on with their lives and are mentally much stronger than the “haves”. Humans are incomprehensible! I’m confused!
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