During our time in Thailand, we were primarily based in Bangkok. I wanted my then, 12 year-old daughter see each end of the spectrum. I wanted her to get a glimpse of an International school, with elite education and see what a small and safe environment of learning can look like, while also getting a glimpse of poverty at its worst. This brief opportunity gave us an amazing, and also very harsh awakening into the truths of poverty and violence. As per the norm, while I’m wanting her to learn about these topics, I myself end up getting just as much, if not more, of an education! In Bangkok, the “lowest of the lows”, are the slums. The slums grew at a rapid rate after the Bangkok pig slaughterhouse was shut down. (Highly recommend the quick, easy and eye opening read, “Welcome to the Bangkok Slaughterhouse “) This was their main source of income and it employed many, maintaining a large lower to middle class and kept thousands from experiencing the true depths of poverty. When the slaughter house was closed, is where poverty grew at a substantial rate. Just to compare, this would be similar to Mayo Clinic, Rochester, being relocated or shut down. 40,000 people unemployed, immediately. Half of the state, plus thousands more, would feel the immediate affects of this. We seen this with GM in Flint, Michigan. The average household income in Flint used to be 80k. We all know this is far from the case now, as similar to Bangkok, clean running water is not a luxury. The BKK slums, consists of 2-300,000 people living under the bridge alone, along with “slum” type housing, which is where on average, 2-10 people could be sleeping in the same small shack or room, (when I say “room”, I mean half the size of an average American bedroom) with communal showers and cooking spaces.
We had the opportunity to spend a couple of days volunteering at a slum daycare/pre-kinder care. This place was simply a safe haven from 7:30-3:30 each day for kids, infant to 3 years old, to come and learn, have clean diapers, sanitary conditions, sing, dance and have nutritious meals. Most of these children were found alone in their shacks, while their parents attempted to provide during the day. Daycare isn’t exactly a luxury and working in the slums can consist of running street food carts, selling street goods (flowers, knick knacks etc), or running drugs. Anything to attempt to make a baht (their currency) or 2, anything to simply stay alive and survive another day, to some, that survival means another hit, to some it means food for their children. None of these “jobs” call for children being on the job (as we can relate). So this place provides an opportunity for kids to be safe and interact, play and learns with others.
Why do they keep reproducing you ask? Good question. When your average drop out rate in the public school system is 2nd grade, it’s safe to say basic sex education or access to contraceptives/protection probably isn’t top priority, or as obvious as one would think!
This is something I wrote while over there, that sums it up perfectly….
“I don’t care what anyone says about immigrants or refugees – and I’m not denying the fact that we have plenty of this in our own country – at the end of the day, it’s all the same song and dance – a nonstop driving force between the wealthy and poor, with next to no true, interactive help from the governments. But seriously, before you spout at the mouth – I first dare you to come to these places and see these conditions before you ever judge these people for wanting something better. We want better for our kids all the time! These are babies, innocent children added to conditions they didn’t ask for, on behalf of circumstances many of their parents didn’t ask for. It is so heartbreaking to see such despair, to think of a girl wanting to graduate as her mom has been saving 300 baht ($9 American money, we spend this daily on lattes and happy hour) to graduate, for something she worked so hard for in the hopes to better to herself, only to have it stolen from her – when we buy our kids clothes and electronics that could HOUSE these families for that money! It is not a matter of circumstance or choice, this is poverty! It breeds itself just like the wealthy breeds itself – both ignorant – just in different ways.
In the same breath – it’s so heartwarming to see what they’re doing – which is simply just trying – a little at a time to make it better, even if just for awhile. Even if these kids end up on the same path as their parents, to just be able to experience the basics – to know love, to feel a hug, to hear a compliment, to taste a meal just for a moment in time – then that has to mean something….”
This is so needed right now in a wealthy, divided country, to better understand what poverty looks like. I’m so confused how in one minute people are praising or posting that “God is great” and in the next sentence or post, we’re saying build a wall? How are these not contradictory?! We’re either in a state of division or unity, and it’s hard to be christian like, when we’re only choosing to be towards our own. I’m certainly not much a bible banger, but last I checked, that wasn’t the word of the Lord. (correct me if I’m wrong and missed that verse) I simply cannot condone shunning another, especially a parent for wanting their child to simply know what the basics of a meal, clothing, shelter and love feels like. I will never condone standing at the borders tear gassing another race that are simply seeking safety. They aren’t there with weapons, wanting to wage war, they are seeking help. We would never stand for this to happen to our own children, and yet we have no problem allowing our egos to say we can’t afford it, or they aren’t worthy, or too damn bad, go back to your own country. I know there are many sides to this debate, and I’m fully aware there is far more that goes into this then just simply letting people walk across the border, but the primary reasoning for this entry, is topics like the Hondurian Caravan, along with many, many others who have endured similar situations and asked for help. I cry watching us treat other humans, especially mothers, fathers and children with such hate and dehumanization. While we sit back on our screens, high and mighty and say build a wall?!
So, I ask, that while many are promoting this wall, or as you scuff at the site of a 3 year old getting tear gassed or a mother trying to do whatever necessary to save her child, on the off chance that they survive and are given an opportunity for something better, that you think of your own. Simply allow yourself to go to a place of despair, of complete loss and hopelessness. Allow yourself to imagine the thought of sending your 7 year old to school, with the constant concern of the drug cartel walking in and hand picking them at random. Selling the girls to the sex trafficking and training the boys to be a “soldier”. Now imagine, being a teacher in those schools, attempting to protect these innocent children, only to be shot at point blank when resisting. Imagine being a parent who is told your child has been taken and there is no opportunity to save them. Knowing they’ll be forced to feed a horrific cause, drugged, sold, raped and taught to kill. And then tell me you wouldn’t do the same for your family and children if you were forced into these conditions. Build the wall, don’t build the wall, side Democratic or Republican, Pro-Trump, anti-Trump, I really don’t care, but choose to see these situations simply as a human being, nothing more. Not as an American, as white, black, middle-class or upper-class or inferior, superior, but simply beyond money or greed. I don’t care what news station covered what story or what half truth they’re each telling, this is basic human compassion for another in hard times. When you drop the labels around another person, you see it’s just a person in need. We have all been in these positions and been fortunate enough to have those around us to help us, that weren’t all drowning at the same time. I’m not asking for anyone to change their political views or to provide a platform for further fighting, hate and division, I just want you to look at your kids, your parents, your siblings, families and neighbors and picture yourself in a reverse situation, would you still want a wall then?
Revolution.07 