Comments on: Poverty http://ben.tshin.com/2008/poverty/ Sun, 04 Jul 2010 21:28:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ana http://ben.tshin.com/2008/poverty/comment-page-1/#comment-346 Ana Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:14:44 +0000 http://ben.tshin.com/?p=147#comment-346 Dear Ben, I just found your blog and was reading it with interest! I was in The Gambia for 2 years as a Peace Corps Volunteer and lived in a village. Like you described, people were much more spread out and sanitation was not as a big of an issue. However, the main city and larger towns were a totally different issue. Large crowds, cramped living conditions, random piles of garbage and concentrated smells dominated the surroundings. Although, the city had a lot of conveniences to it, I prefer village life. There is poverty, the people have nothing but they have each other. I recently returned from The Gambia but am looking to go back abroad again. I heard about Medair and was wondering if you have volunteered with the organization before? The website says that being a committed Christian is one of the qualifications for applying to any of their vacancies. I am not Christian. Is that going to be a problem? I have a strong desire to help people. I don't think religious affiliation should be held against someone who wants to volunteer her time and help. What do you think? I've been thinking about this for a while but would like to get more advice. I've included my email address. I look forward to hearing back from you! Thank you! Sincerely, Ana missacheung@gmail.com Dear Ben,

I just found your blog and was reading it with interest! I was in The Gambia for 2 years as a Peace Corps Volunteer and lived in a village. Like you described, people were much more spread out and sanitation was not as a big of an issue. However, the main city and larger towns were a totally different issue. Large crowds, cramped living conditions, random piles of garbage and concentrated smells dominated the surroundings. Although, the city had a lot of conveniences to it, I prefer village life. There is poverty, the people have nothing but they have each other.

I recently returned from The Gambia but am looking to go back abroad again. I heard about Medair and was wondering if you have volunteered with the organization before? The website says that being a committed Christian is one of the qualifications for applying to any of their vacancies. I am not Christian. Is that going to be a problem? I have a strong desire to help people. I don’t think religious affiliation should be held against someone who wants to volunteer her time and help. What do you think? I’ve been thinking about this for a while but would like to get more advice. I’ve included my email address. I look forward to hearing back from you!

Thank you!

Sincerely,
Ana
missacheung@gmail.com

]]> By: Wendy http://ben.tshin.com/2008/poverty/comment-page-1/#comment-321 Wendy Fri, 27 Jun 2008 07:10:53 +0000 http://ben.tshin.com/?p=147#comment-321 I agree; I went to Kibera in Kenya and was totally shocked by what I saw. Even though I read about it, saw it on TV etc. Even though I'm used to being in Sudan and seeing poverty all around me all the time. This got me to tears because it's what you say: we sleep (on a bit more then a stonesthrow away) in a nice house with guards in front! The child that we sponsor walks through streets that are covered with drunkards/glue snorters and is living in a hut with her seven brothers and sisters, father and stephmother that is not even as big as my bedroom in Malakal/Melut... It's not that I'm not touched by the poverty in Sudan, but there it's almost everywhere and people "cope with it in a way" because almost everyone else has to cope with it. In Kenya you only walk a few hundred metres further and you see that it can be different... Thanks for sharing! May God bless these people and may the people "who own everything within their reach" as Lisa says above - care and step over the extend of its power that is beyond scary to help them! I agree; I went to Kibera in Kenya and was totally shocked by what I saw. Even though I read about it, saw it on TV etc. Even though I’m used to being in Sudan and seeing poverty all around me all the time. This got me to tears because it’s what you say: we sleep (on a bit more then a stonesthrow away) in a nice house with guards in front! The child that we sponsor walks through streets that are covered with drunkards/glue snorters and is living in a hut with her seven brothers and sisters, father and stephmother that is not even as big as my bedroom in Malakal/Melut… It’s not that I’m not touched by the poverty in Sudan, but there it’s almost everywhere and people “cope with it in a way” because almost everyone else has to cope with it. In Kenya you only walk a few hundred metres further and you see that it can be different… Thanks for sharing! May God bless these people and may the people “who own everything within their reach” as Lisa says above – care and step over the extend of its power that is beyond scary to help them!

]]> By: lisa http://ben.tshin.com/2008/poverty/comment-page-1/#comment-320 lisa Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:56:27 +0000 http://ben.tshin.com/?p=147#comment-320 I guess it's human nature to avoid and ignore our sensitivity to poverty issues, especially people who own everything within their reach. This is not because we don't care, but because the extend of its power that is beyond scary. I'm glad you wrote about this Ben as a blunt reminder that it's the real world and it exists. I guess it’s human nature to avoid and ignore our sensitivity to poverty issues, especially people who own everything within their reach. This is not because we don’t care, but because the extend of its power that is beyond scary. I’m glad you wrote about this Ben as a blunt reminder that it’s the real world and it exists.

]]> By: ceci http://ben.tshin.com/2008/poverty/comment-page-1/#comment-318 ceci Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:41:33 +0000 http://ben.tshin.com/?p=147#comment-318 Cheese left you a message on her blog because she couldn't post a comment here! Read it here: http://www.xanga.com/cheetocheese/659823365/item.html Cheese left you a message on her blog because she couldn’t post a comment here!

Read it here: http://www.xanga.com/cheetocheese/659823365/item.html

]]> By: Joeie http://ben.tshin.com/2008/poverty/comment-page-1/#comment-311 Joeie Wed, 28 May 2008 20:27:37 +0000 http://ben.tshin.com/?p=147#comment-311 Oppa Ö) Will think more about this and comment again later. Oppa Ö)

Will think more about this and comment again later.

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