WARNING: VERY LONG. SORRY.
Well, I took the poll option, “Is giving to charity becomming redundant?” To mean, are you so poor you need charity!
I grew up in abject, gritty poverty, righ here in the States. We almost never had electricity, seldom had running water (we “borrowed” our water by the bucket full from the neighbor), and the only meals we ate while in school were the free lunches at school. Durring summer months, my brother and I collected cans and pop bottles from the neighborhood dumpsters and cashed them in. We ate on an average of a dollar and a half a day and split that food between us and our mother.
That is simply unimaginable to most people, but it was my life. There are many reasons for this. As I was a child/teen durring these years, I had nothing to do with my situation and did not understand it.
I remember feeling simply astounded that there were people who could eat at McDonald’s whenever they felt like it. Kids who always had clean clothes and who were never hungry when they went to bed. People just had no idea what they took for granted. I used to wish that those people could see me. They never seemed to.
As an adult who grew up that way, I have some very strong feelings about giving to charity. As a child, I used to swear that I would never have anything I didn’t need even once I had the money to buy those things, because I knew there were people in the world who could eat for a week for what some people spend on one meal in McDonald’s. Of course, that’s not how things have worked out for me.
When I had money for things, I found that I honestly didn’t desire many of the things that people seem to “need,” especially here in America. I don’t have any desire for a large t.v., or one at all, actually. I do have one, though. I would not have bought one, but once we moved back to the States, everywhere we went there was t.v. and my son got used to it. At first, I bought the t.v. and only vidios for my son, but I found that I missed the t.v., too, after living with others who watched it all the time. Still, though, if I’m home alone, it’s never on and I don’t allow my son to watch general t.v. without me. (In Taiwan I didn’t own a t.v., so my son had very little exposure to it.)
But I don’t get caught up with the best car, or the best clothes. I do, however, NEED clothes that are appropriate for work, so much nicer than I’d had growing up. And, like Maoman, I love books and prefer hard back. I also really like jewlery and I think that is directly related to having none as a kid and going to school with girls who wore rings on every finger. I also have found that many times the quality of fine things, such as guchi bags, is much better than average. I have one guchi which was a gift. I love it. I would not likely buy another one, as I just can’t see spending so much an a bag that you noting left to put into it, but I can see why people do.
So, I don’t spend a lot on indulgences, but I also do not give to charity organizations. I just do not believe those organizations help very much, as they never helped me. But I will give to street beggars. Not all, but most, and for a couple reasons. One, I just don’t know that person’s situation, or who might be depending on that person for food or shelter. I used to never give to the small boy who begged in the sub way in S. Korea, as I was sure he was being made to do this by a parent who used the money for drugs or alcohol, but I did buy him meals whenever I saw him. Yes, the parents could and should clean up their act and care for the kids, but they are not and will not. For some, maybe they simply can’t. The child is still suffering and if I can help him/her, I will try.
Also, I have a son. As a mom, each time I see someone begging I feel like I want to give simply because, God forbid it, my son my someday need something and I hope someone will give to him. I gave 20$ to a man who sat outside the local gas station with a sign that he needed gas to get to work. Gas was more than three dollars a gallon and I was almost in that position my self. What if that were my son? So I gave him the money. Was he lieing? I don’t know, but that’s not one me.
Finally, I believe that a good way to look at this kind of thing is that the most important person in the world is the person you are with. The first person to help is this person. So, when I lived in ren-wu I always stopped at 7-11 and baught a meal and a drink for the homless man who liked to sleep near the building. He would pretend to be asleep, but would grab the food as soon he thought I was far enough away. In Korea, I always bought the best tangarines in the world from the grandma who sold them on the street and paid more than she asked. I pretended not to understand the price and refused to take the change.
I’ve sponsored kids to go to camp and bought them school clothes. I know that the kinds of giving I do will never make a true change in a person’s life. But I believe that with very little acception no amount of giving will. In order to change a person’s life, you must change the person. After all, a child who grew up like I did doesn’t usually every break out of the lifestyle of need. I’m an unusual case and I can’t even explain all of what makes me different. However, I don’t try to change their lives, just to improve it for a moment or two. I’m only human, and I’m only one. I think a moment or two of improvment is a good goal.
And trust me, anyone who ever did give anything to improve my life, I have not forgotten. I may not ever have known their names, but I remember them, their faces if I saw them, and what they did. And you better believe I knew when they were only doing it for themselves. Using a person never helps them, no matter what their situation is. You may bandage one kind of problem, but you alway cause another kind of wound.
Anyway, I always think why the people are where they are is not my business. It’s my business to do what I can, if I can do anything. That’s it.
Now, I’m in a situation again where I’m having trouble making rent. I know this is only temporary, but it’s still tough. So, for now, charitable giving is indeed redundant, but when I can again, I will. I have a responsibility to my fellow human. And as a Christian, though a very imperfect one, I’m moved greatly by thinking of Christ’s words that we do to Him as we do to the “least of these.”