Empty already???

On Friday I packed the BB bags for Saturday and we had no more boy or neutral clothing.  How can this be?  You girls sent me tons of stuff and in just 5 visits, it is finished.  I feel like BB is in a huge drought and whatever water is sprinkled on, evaporates immediately.  I did scrounge around and managed to find enough clothes for the visit. God once again tells me, enough for that day Mel, that’s all you need.  It is Sunday morning, I don’t have enough for tomorrow.  I know by tomorrow morning their will be enough but I can’t work like this anymore.  It is just too stressful.  This morning I was up at 5.30am doing a very long to-do list. I am going to be very aggressive this week in phoning, sourcing, marketing and breathing life back into this ministry. 

I do have faith in Him and know He will send enough for the day, but I want abundance, not just scraping by. I have seen how tough things are for everyone in the world lately. How petrol is 5 dollars a gallon, 5 pounds a gallon and is about to go up again in SA.  It means everything gets more expensive. People can barely support their own families never mind charities.  For the poor, it is disastrous.  Paraffin goes up, (they use this for their lamps, little stoves and for heating as most shacks don’t have electricity) transport on the taxis goes up due to fuel prices, food is more expensive and jobs decrease as companies start to retrench.  Many people are HIV positive and a poor diet is a death sentence when immune systems are so compromised.  More AIDS orphans coming our way, how do we cope with them all?   I feel like crying as I write this.  Things are desperate in South African townships.

I read a letter in my local paper about some women complaining that the hawkers selling their wares at the traffic lights are distracting and they must be removed.  They sell roses, beaded goods, cellphone accessories, bags, glasses…. Basically whatever they can. I seldom buy but often just give R5 for trying anyway.  I feel they are making an effort and trying instead of begging or thieving. Her letter got me so mad I wrote a counter letter.

Gary says I shouldn’t write when I am menstrual and scary but I feel so frustrated and helpless with this poverty monster who grows daily.  My letter was perhaps a tad harsh so they probably won’t publish it. Oh well, here it is….

 

I am writing in disgusted response to the letter titled “They must be stopped’ published in last weeks District Mail.
The writer of the letter was complaining about the return of the hawkers at the Lord Charles /R44 traffic lights. Apparently the police had chased them away but they had returned a week later. The person writing complained they ‘disturbed her concentration.’  

So who are these hawkers? They are men who are selling their goods to support their families. They could join the countless criminals out there who attempt to support their families by theft and other dishonest methods, but they don’t. They use their skills to make various crafts and sell them to drivers. They are not dangerous or rude, at worst they are persistent. I am tired of everyone wearing blinkers when it comes to poverty and townships. Many locals love to complain about the crime, the squalor, the homeless who sleep in doorways and the hawkers who try and sell their wares and disturb their concentration. I challenge them to spend 24 hours living in a township in a shack in conditions millions of South Africans have to endure. I hate crime as much as the next girl and I am in fact writing this 24 hours after my bag was stolen containing all my cards, ID, drivers etc. But, I can understand how living in crowded desperate conditions while trying to make a living, results in much of our crime. Unless you want to be part of the solution, quit complaining. There are thousands of projects that are trying to make a difference in alleviating some of the hardships poverty inflicts. Join one, start one, open your eyes and really see how many people live and how fortunate you really are. Wake up and smell the compassion.

From a director of a local charity.   

Too harsh?     Things are harsh though and too many people choose to look the other way.  I am sorry for this miserable tone of this post but I feel so burdened and desperate for my fellow South Africans who live in the townships.   My heart is breaking lately which means His heart is too.    I don't know where to start.    This hurts.

 

Comments

[Dominique]

Hi Mel
Since moving back from Phuket petrol has gone up 3 times and it is going up again this week. Food prices are exhorbitant. Everything is expensive and I can only imagine how poorer communities have to cope. It must be so difficult and stressful for them. I still have a few items for BB which I brought back from Phuket. So whenever you get a chance you can collect it?

Take care
Dom x

[tess]

by being willing you are leaving yourself open for the answers to come to you. God doesn't ask you to know the answers, He only asks you to be faithful. and you are.

and we love & admire you for it. xo tess

[Sue at eLuckypacket]

Not too harsh at all. Spot on in fact.

[kerry]

Social justice is all our responsibility, good for you for speaking your truth. I'm proud to read your blog and you have a great moral compass.

Maybe you can tell us in Canada where to send a donation for baby stuff ..even if we send it as freight at least it will get to you( at some point!)

k.

[Flicka]

Too harsh? No. For some, a cold dose of reality is what's needed. You're completely right in your analysis; these are men who instead of turning to crime, are doing their best to support their families on the meager income that hawking brings. It's not a great solution but it beats the heck out of crime.

I understand your frustration over BB's constantly depleted stores. Sarge and I lived like that for a while, money coming in at the last minute when the need was truly desparate. I'll have to tell you the whole story someday.

In the mean time, if you aren't familiar with him already, read up on George Mueller. During the Industrial Revolution, he decided that children were being treated abominably, especially orphans. Often the kids would commit crimes just to spend the night in jail and out of the elements. So he started taking in orphans and he fed them on prayer. He went to bed at night with an empty pantry and prayed for bread. Each morning some concerned baker or citizen would show up with enough bread and milk to feed the children. He did this every night for 62 years! He refused to fundraise but simply prayed and because of that wound up building three huge buildings housing over 10,000 orphans. Ashely Downs, the original site, still stands in England today as a museum and college. There's much more to the story than that but I thought you might be encouraged to know that you aren't alone with your day-to-day reliance on God. Mueller did it for 62 years. You are doing a great job, Mel. I know God will keep supplying you. You don't need to worry. You have all the abundance in the world, it's just not at your present location right this moment.

[Anna in IL]

I take a bit of the blame for the boy/girl clothing imbalance. Somehow I can only find girl clothes when I'm clearance shopping! I don't know if having a boy blinds me to the tiny blue clothes, but every time I get to the register, I realize that I'm loaded up with little pink outfits again!

I hope that you are successful in finding reliable volunteers and suppliers. I know that it is hard to keep the project going, and frustrating when people don't fulfill their commitments. I am proud of you for your strength and determination, and I know that God is too.

[Kelli]

I know it's so much harder to continue trusting than it is for me to just speak it, but that's where you're at. Flicka's mention of George Mueller is right on. He is a perfect example of exactly what you're going through. I'm sure it's horribly frustrating at times, though. I will say, though, that I greatly admire you for what you do with BB. Even if it feels that you're not doing enough. Times are hard for many right now...

I should add that I think (hopefully) I am going to be able to rally together a good amount of baby clothes to send to Karla, and can't wait to be able to help you out. I'm so happy to know that someone is fullfilling this need in SA. Keep on!

[angel]

i don't think its too harsh at all mel. i hear exactly where you're coming from.