The Politics and Pains of Poverty....

Politics and Poverty: So, last night Jody wanted to take us all out to dinner. Us being the maid who used to work for Mallach House (where the MDs stay when they visit here) and her four children, and four of us nursing students. We had to go pick the family up with our car, because they couldn't afford one of their own. Hilde (pictured above) was the mother of 4, and they lived all together in a very small flat located directly behind the medical students' flats. It looked like an alley way when we approached it: narrow walkway bordered by the flats on one side and a wire fence on the other. Firewood was strewn about the ground, and a small cooking area with one pot and pan, and a metal wirey grate is what they used to cook with. Their "broom" was nothing more than a collection of rubber-banded tall pieces of grass, and there was no running water or electricity.

This highlights the gross social inequities throughout the world, felt in both the states and abroad. Not to say this sort of thing doesn't happen in the states, internally, but it was especially noticeable here, 9,200 miles away from PA, yet this woman, who supports her four children on 1000 Pula per month (~$166/month!) is the epitome of the classist society in which we live. Imagine, the five of us, 4 white people (which they all "Le Cura", with a rolled "r"), and Komal, many of whom have our laptops in our backpacks, digital cameras to take pictures, and greeting this family (and other family's children who were playing outstide) with nothing but smiles. I noticed that many of the kids we saw had clothes on that were very tight, did not fit, or looked very worn down. They cannot afford clothes for many growing bodies, and Jody usually brings old clothes that she doesn't anymore from her kids and grandkids to donate to this family and group of families. We took a bunch of pictures together, and then we headed to Riverwalk, to this large restaurant where there was a playpen for kids. Jody drove the family, and we took a cab there.

When we arrived, we figured out what we wanted to order and then i was responsible (that being a relative term, cuz i had a LOT of fun!) for taking Lewo, the youngest girl, and Tato, the only boy, to the playpen where they could jump, slide, "drive cars", play foosball, and just play outside and be kids. It was amazing to me, to see the excitement, pure joy, and enthuse in their eyes and bodies, despite everything they have been through (One of Hilde's daughters, Sinsane, is a Zimbabwean refugee and does not have papers to be living in Botswana, so her English is the poorest of any of them, and cannot attend a Botswana school. The father is not a part of the family and does not contribute any finances to help raise the kids; that responsibility is left entirely to Hilde and her meager wages.

I was so impressed with how composed and how fun Kwasabo (pictured left) was, the middle child of Hilde's. She liked hip-hop music, her favorite artist being 50 cent (LOL!), she loved to dance, read, go to school, pose for the camera, and aspires to be a Medical Doctor when she grows up (she is 15). Being the only male in a household full of estrogen, Tato, age 10, was very soft-spoken, but when he wanted to play foosball or go outside, he would not hesitate to grab my hand and take me for a stroll. Lewo, the youngest at 7 years of age, was also soft-spoken, and her english wasn't as progressed as the others, but i could form simple sentences (is that sunday good? did you have fun!?) and she would be able to nod or shake her head in agreement or not. As i was watching her bounce in the play pen with the other kids, she would tap the screen and say "Hey!", as if "Hey, look at me jump!", then she would flash her pearly whites just in time for me to snap one picture of her. I have to admit, being their with 2 kids as my responsibility made me feel all paternalistic and fatherly, something i have never felt (as my professed "hatred" of kids until now was too strong to allow me to feel that), and it was SO NICE and fun. I have finally discovered a feeling that i wish to bestow onto others, a feeling of love for those in need of love and caring, and those less fortunate than I....

After eating full entrees, and desserts, and after yoinking 2 balloons for Lewo (she wanted red) and Tato (he wanted yellow!), we parted and left for the dorms (we spent a good 3 hours with the family. and when we parted, they all smiled enthusiastically, as if in anxious anticipation for our next meeting at the playpen). We all thanked Jody for dinner and basically told her that she was our new role model in life. This woman, Jody, has many kids and grandkids and has a heart of gold. Hilde's kids all called her Grandma, appropriately, and they loved her so much. To see Jody walking hand-in-hand with each of the kids at one point of the night was quite a site. She is so happy all the time, and has so much to give to others, so much insight, so much worldly knowledge and experience, and so much love for those in need of something just a little bit better.

Ranting time: So, what do i say about the Wealthy Institutions of the West. This gross act of disparate living within the greater systems established is sickening to me. Literally, living directly behind students, Hilde and her family don't have proper sanitary appliances and devices as to make sure sickness would be avoidable. These flats are rented from the landlord here, and the students get the side with running water and electricity, while the maid for these students doesn't get the same treatment, even though the landlord is held responsible for the same living conditions for Hilde as the students receive. All the tenants would have to do is make a little push here and there to get the compliance from the landlord. It aggravates me and makes me sick, and it is all the more worse that, even though this family lives in utter poverty here, they kept up their cheerful demeanors and smiling faces when we greeted them, probably because they don't know any different. And that is not how it should be!

So, long story short, i wish i could save everyone and the world, but i recognize and realize i cannot. One by one, i will do my best to touch lives and use the privilege and fortunate background to which i have been accustomed in order to better life across the globe, as well as in the states. I KNOW i come from privilege, and i can recognize it (i'm a white male, i mean, come on!), and that realization can in turn empower me, like it has Jody, help those around me and those less fortunate than I have been (not meant to sound like a bleeding-heart here, or some sort of living martyr!). This is my calling, this is my life, and this is my future....