Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Mexico children playing cops holding a water gun.
Can I really understand the challenges faced by those women living out there under the curse of poverty and deprivation?
Can I really understand what it means to be poor?
Can I even feel the frustration, desperation and sense of injustice poor people feel when I am sitting behind a computer screen with a satisfied stomach and a University degree under my sleeve?
Can I even feel the frustration, desperation and sense of injustice poor people feel when I am sitting behind a computer screen with a satisfied stomach and a University degree under my sleeve?
Can we put ourselves in that young girl's shoes? xx
P.S. Hope you have a great weekend!
P.P.S. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
P.S. Hope you have a great weekend!
P.P.S. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
61 comments:
I don't read anything here that would make me not want to come back, Betty. Acknowledging our own priviledge is often the first step to making a more sincere, relevant contribution to the world. We need to know that we can't solve others' problems by imposing our Western ideals on them but it makes us relaise that no, their situation is not ideal and that is by their own beliefs, morals and standards. I think you're brave to think outside the box.
Betty, you have raised important issues here. You cannot know what it is to be poor, as you have never been so and you will not really understand the challenges faced by them. Betty, we cannot be everyone as everyone cannot be us. BUT by raising these vital questions, you have attempted to understand and empathise, which is quite commendable. Coming from India, this sort of a scene has almost become a daily reality. While the rich are oppulent beyond measure, the poor are becoming poorer. Sometimes, I do feel like you.
Perhaps you should start something if you feel the need to. Perhaps you can gather like-minded individuals through the forum of blogging and try to DO something for atleast some people out there.
Joy always,
Susan
Most people are too caught up in their own lives. They spend on things they don't need and waste so much, while there are those, sometimes very close by, who have little or nothing. I come from a VERY poor background and it kills me to see those who don't even have the basic things we take for granted. There is more than enough money and resources to go around. We must SHARE them...
It really shakes you up when you're confronted with it. A lot of people never are, makes it easier to be apathetic. Great post and have a great weekend.
A young nurse at the local hospital told us about her trip to Cuba. She said her and her husband took their old baby clothes packed with them. They gave them to workers at their hotel. It was a nice gesture. The economics of the world is not fair. That is the way the money for exchange thing is. Sustenance way of life doesn't work anymore. It is a hard thing to be confronted by poverty; REAL poverty. Thank you for your post.
When I went to Honduras and Africa, I saw much of this Betty. When I got back from both trips, it took me over a year to buy myself a pair of shoes. It's a sad world, and we only live in a small part of it.
I feel sad for these people.I can't imagine this situation.They suffer from many illnesses because health services are not developed in these countries.Some organisations donate money to these people.Maybe we could help by giving money to these recognised organisations.
It is truly heartbreaking, isn't it? I've done mission work in Mexico through my church and some of the things I've seen are devastating.
I certainly don't do all I should or could.
A heartfelt and gentle post, Betty. Though it has the harsh bite of reality, as well. I always remind myself that I live in a bubble, much as I'd prefer not to think of it that way. But, the reality is I don't realize the challenges others have to face until they are brought to my attention either directly or indirectly. And this is even more sad...
Thank you for raising awareness about a most important issue.
Wishing you a lovely weekend.
Hugs,
Nevine
We are so grossly overly-blessed in ways that much of the world is not. Thanks for this reminder, Betty. Those children, all children, are beautiful.
xoRobyn
Betty, this post is for all of us
to think more what terrible things
are going on the world. Long time
ago I traveled
through Kenya so I do know.
I think that we are instead of
helping somehow in a while we are
going on with our lives and doing
nothing good..
Thank you for touching a very big
wound (at least for me)!
Send you my love from your other
country.
Monika
mexico must be a nice place to visit!
We take so many things for granted in this country, don't we? I hate to see people suffering - especially young children. Thank you for bringing attention to this issue.
Nice pictures, Betty, and a thought proviking blog too. I have been to places like Cuba where you can get lost in the upscale holiday complexes. Then you'll suddenly see an image of abject poverty and it brings you down to earth.
You've very nicely summed up some of the feelings I had when I was in China. As an American I have so much that I take for granted, and I met many wonderful people who had so little. And yet most of those people were remarkably kind and generous.
Thank you for your wonderful words and pictures.
The financial trouble I saw all over Mexico broke my heart. Yet even during the hardest of times I saw the riches of families, something I don't see here. Thanks for the reminder Betty.
The reason web jokes suck is that they're passive. But people feel like they've 'done' something by sending them even though they a) didn't interact with the receiver; b) didn't share anything personal; c) didn't have to think about what they were writing and d)showed no creativity.
I'd FAR rather read about what someone's DONE rather than what they've read in an email. But I'd rather DO first myself - then I've actually got something interesting and meaningful to write about!
HAve a great weekend, my friend!
Don't pass by, go over and help.
I'm glad I haven't seen or read any of those jokes. People who make fun of others are stupid, I think. My heart is always with the poor and especially women with children. Raising children without the means to take care of them is difficult and brave.
You have a good heart.
PS Always remember, my dear, that you have a voice...to speak out. Use it when you feel inspired to do so.
Wonderful post Betty! We all need to be remind of these things....
when our computers don't work or our internet service goes down
when our power goes out
when we can't get to the store because of bad weather.
I could go on and on.
Many, many people don't even have half as much as we do. It's so very sad.
So very sad.
Betty, you just make me want to come back more. You are a compassionate and thoughtful person. The world needs more of you.
I had tears in my eyes looking at our photos, especailly the two under the word Hola of the children. they are beautiful as are all your photos.
I agree with every word you said, and I stopped recieving or sending email jokes about 8 months ago. I was so sick of them, i sent emails to my address book and requested they not send forwards and if they did, i would delete. what a relief.
thanks for stopping by my blog
Thanks for stopping by and commenting! Took me a second to figure out how ya found me. Brits in the US, yeah?
You raise some very interesting points here and at awonderful time as next month sees Comic Relief here in England. A charity that holds a bi-annual event using comedy as a way to raise money.
Poverty exists in practically every country on earth.
However, does not effect every part of the world equally.
Great post!
Thanks for highlighting issues like this.
Those are some great images.
Your post really touched my heart.
Poverty is a worldwide thing. Unfortunately, always has been existed on earth and always will.So sad that some people have to face this dreadful condition in the first place.
It's hard to contemplate from my cozy house with clean water and healthy children what sort of hell exists in extreme poverty. Many difficult decisions are made on a daily basis that I will never have to make in my entire life. I'm certainly not rich, but I have food, water and physical safety.
Oh, I feel so for the Mexican people! We were in the Playa area three years ago, before the drug cartels started all of the violence. The people are so poor there, and there doesn't seem to be anyone to step up and help them!
I definitely realize how completely blessed and easy I have things. I try to do my part for others when I can.
It will be worse, soon.When the Planet population will hit 9 billions...
Beautiful and moving photos and you raise some important questions.
so touching...
Betty, you always go on such wonderful trips, and your pictures are always so beautiful. But your photos of these children really are special...it is too bad they will never see them...
A very touching post. Sometimes we need to put things into perspective.
Going to Mexico can be heart wrenching to say the least. Each day, you see these signs of poverty, see these beautiful children, and know you are on a vacation. It is a paradox that we SHOULD not be able to ignore. I know exactly what you are talking about here. I was on Isla Majueres last year, rolling around on a golf cart and stunned- literally stunned- at the differences. Next to a million dollar vacation home was a "shanty town" It almost is beyond thought, isn't it?
A great post - and awesome pics.
Visiting from SITS, make it a great day!
I think the important thing is you have empathy.
Poverty throughout the world could be ended, how much has been spent killing people in Iraq and Afghanistan? Yeah Billions.
Thanks for this post, Betty.
Poverty is especially harmful to children. Those photos are really powerful.
Most of humanity live on just a few dollars a day.
Can't imagine the lack of basic things poor people face everyday.
Thanks for this post.
this is a powerful phot...expression of children are swesome and stunning..poverty in childhood is worse than poison
You have a beautiful and loving heart, and I am not surprised that you were touched so deeply by what you saw. It's heartbreaking.
In many third world countries, young women are most vulnerable. They are vulnerable to slavery, rape, human trafficking, etc. I hope it will change, but don't know how, since it seemed that women in general take a lot of crap whether they are way under privileged or privileged. Thanks for your kindness and the way you looked up on those children.
Very powerful photos, thank you! Following back from Mommy's Peanut Gallery :)
You are right. sometimes we indulge in luxury, we come back and poverty can hit you on your face. But the saddest part is we are sad temporarily and we move on with our life.
I have not had the chance to travel abroad, but I do travel in time (reading about history and reading for clues about life in other times). The past century has put our civilization into such an unnatural and basically indecent system.
Thank you for your visit. You have a beautiful blog
Greetings
Beautiful post and pics.
Most profound my friend.
oh I love your willingness to step out of the box and say I'M DONE WITH BOX DWELLING!!!! I have so much more to say to you my dearest friend from afar - I just admire you so much!
HUGS AND JOY to you this day!
Shawna
Those pictures are so sweet. It breaks my heart. I have no idea what this poor mom is going through. Gives me something real to think about today. Thank you!!
"Portrait of a young Girl" is very powerful. Her stunning face tells an entire story. Good Stuff.
Beautiful photos!
After a trip to the Philippines in '05, I had difficulty re-assimilating to American culture. Everything here seemed so wasteful. Television commercials were not as funny, but felt grossly over-indulgent. I detested even having a TV set turned on.
We have maintained a relationship with the people we visited, and have been called on to be a help on a few occasions.
Blessings.
She has a unique beauty that
you can see in her eyes..
great post!
yes, tangible dignity!
Aloha from Honolulu,
Comfort Spiral
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Lovely smiles are their life.
Thank you for your visit.
Good weekend
From Japan, ruma
Hello Betty
These pictures are wonderful
my compliments for this .
greetings, Joop
many thanks for your reactions.
Great post and beautiful shots as always, Betty!
Thanks for this post, Betty. Poverty is especially harmful to children. Those photos are really powerful.
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