Originally Posted by justflyingin
Originally Posted by Kutnso
do you have a regular job there in Poland??? It would be nice if you had a "double" here in the states somewhere. There are many very poor and needy Americans also.
I do teach some English here--but it's not full time. I had to laugh at the "double" comment. I am an identical twin and my sister runs www.thecouponclippers.com and enables my doing the Christmas outreach by raising a lot of money via her customers. :) She helps tons of people, but she's seen the poor here....
The difference between the poor in Poland and the poor in the states. Well, let me just say the really, really poor in Poland are thin. Why? Because they live "hungry". I was in a lady's home yesterday (delivering some diapers to her 3 months old twins) and 7 of them live in 20 square meters. (That's just over 200 square feet.) I'm not sure I know many Americans who live in such conditions. Oh yes--they have no running water and use a bucket for a toilet. She uses an outside hand pump to get the water she needs to do her laundry (she heats her water on the stove first and washes by hand in a plastic tub.) Of course, they have no car and she has to walk 1/2 mile (maybe) to the bus stop--no small feat with two 3-month-olds. By comparison, the average "poor" person in the states is quite rich.
Actually, I think there is a perception worldwide that people in America are quite rich. However, I personally know more than one family who fits this exact description - right here in TX. I know of an entire subdivision who has no running water or electricity in over 30% of the homes, who still have tarps for roofs, no vehicles, or any dental care (more than one has died of run away infections from rotten teeth!) and only have wood for heat (that they chop in the woods). It's truly sad. They do barely survive. They get their clothing from the church. It's a poor, poor area and it's certainly not the only one in America, I'm sure.
So, those of us who own computers, internet access, etc. are indeed much more wealthy than those who will never sign on here, I agree.
Thank goodness for people like you there, and others like you here. Every country has needs, we just may not see them. It's why I do believe in charitable contributions.
Debbie in Austin