I went to a tea party today, and ate far too much of sandwiches, scones, cream, strawberries, cakes. Someone there was saying how, when she was a student, she used to pinch food which was on the last sell by date out of the waste skips outside Tesco's, as if it was somehow daring - and perhaps not really necessary ! I remarked that many children in Africa would love to have access to such food, but had to make do with what they could scavenge from the rotting food on rubbish dumps, before the birds and hyaenas got to it. Deathly silence ... and a rapid change of conversation.
In this village where I live there are many, many very wealthy people. Bringing up African poverty, shanty town living, street children in conversations with them ...and again, a rapid change of topic. I rarely go to the pub, (too expensive on my pension !) but many local people eat there, for the food is very good. A full meal for one, plus drinks can easily run up £40 or more... and couples think nothing of spending over £100 on a Saturday evening out. Yet if I asked (and I have !) for donations for the street children projects ... they either look away, or offer a couple of pounds. If everyone who went to the pub for an evening out, DIDN'T go on one Saturday in the month, and gave the money to a charity such as Hands Around the World ... WOW !!
What is it that stops them ... what blocks their giving hearts ? Are they embarrassed ? Why don't they want to know ? Are they ashamed to think children in other countries can live like that, when their own are well fed, go to good schools and have more than everything a child needs ? Are they confusing, as so many people do, 'wants' with 'needs' ?? I wish I knew, and I wish I knew how to get through to them ... and their pockets !
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