I recently watched the excellent documentary ‘Living on One Dollar’. The film documents the first hand experience of two young Americans that spend two months in a remote Guatemalan community. The iron grip of poverty takes on new meaning as they experience these trials and struggles first hand. It was deeply moving and I have reflected on it many times since watching.
My initial take away was a deep sense of gratitude for all the advantages and comforts I have in my life, both past and present. It was also sobering to be reminded of just how large and diverse our world is. I live a pretty sheltered life here in my Pacific Northwest home. So much of the worlds diversity, both the beautiful and the distressing, is hidden from my view.
One story in particular pulled at my heart strings. A young woman recounted her desire from an early age to get an education and train to be a nurse. She told with quivering lip of her sadness at having to quit school at 6th grade to work in the fields. Her parents had to choose between paying for her to attend school and putting food on the table. Tragic.
I was also touched by the genuine happiness and the generosity shown by so many in the village. The smiles were never ending and many were so willing to share what little they had both with their American visitors and with others in their community. One mans wife fell ill and was in desperate need of medical care. With no means of his own to pay for this he asked a friend for help. This man of very humble means paid for the medical visits, medication, and transportation with no expectation of repayment.
As I reflected on my own income, and how these people subsist on about 1 dollar a day I was struck by the fact that I earn more money in a day or two of air conditioned typing than they do all year at backbreaking labor. I feel sadness at their lack of basic necessities and healthcare. I wouldn’t even miss the few dollars it would take to literally make all the difference in not just one person’s life but a whole community. Something just feels so wrong about this.
I am left wondering two things; What could I do to help, and what could I learn from these good people. I don’t have the answers yet to either of these questions, but I hope that I soon will.