street children

As we get old, we can widen our mental vision while experiencing new world, meeting people from different background, changing ourselves and muddling through hardships. Human-being's not mature enough to understand situations that they don't undergo or face with. If my life's pretty fine and i don't worry about the necessities of life, we would care about poverty once in a while. (it would differ up to people, anyway.)

I'm Asian and care about Asian people obviously. Needless to say, i do care Korean but my mind tend to incline to Filipinos, expecially children. The Philippines used to live in plenty and send troops for Korean war. Thier economy got stagnant and nearly 10% of whole population go abroad to work mostly in the factories and agricultural parts. I used to teach those who want to work in Korea, so i could assume how their life go. Most of my former students were not severely poor. Some of them make a scanty living and couldn't come to the class because of the bus fare. (i was quite surprised by that.) The reason they "must" be an overseas worker (you know, filipino government respect overseas workers as natioanl heros.) is that they can't afford their family and education fees. Mother and father work in a foreign countries and, after all, granny takes care of little kids who can't meet their parents 1~3 years long. Although it sounds hard, it's too usual to feel pity.

However, it's lucky to have parents who hope working abroad, willingly sacrifice for their families. There're so many street children whose parents are rather useless and hopeless. You'll see dirty faced small kids anywhere in the philippines, especially Metro Manila. They normally don't put on shoes and slip on tattered clothes. It's hard to suppose how rarely they take a bath or brush their teeth. Their houses're probably shabby, crowded and inhygienic. They usually don't go to school but just beg money. Most of the times, begging is rejected and gets no reward comparing with their whole day effort. It can be a nothing to give them 1pesos which currency's really small. But, it doesn't mean either donation or charity. It'll spoil street childern more and more and the situation'll not be improved, if they're more used to begging daily.

I occasionally give them small coins and very cheap juices. I pat their head and wanted to cuddle them. I'm not a Mother Teresa something, but was a wealthy (<= i mean, into their eyes) foreigner. It's hard to thrust them away first time, but i was able to ignore them later. When i was waiting for my chicken's chopped, small ones came up to me and murmuring some tagalos or said "ma'am...". I sometimes replied "wala na pera(i don't have money)!" cold-heartedly. They never get frustrated or hurt, but try another people in the street. i can't imagine what they keen on, are excited about and dream of their future. Would they really dream?

I'm not pity on them. (actually i am-_-) There're actions taken for helping them, but the fundamental ground's not improved, as a result, those kids remain in the street. It's so dangerous at night, but they wandering on the road and knocking car windows for money. Can you imagine how they are pretty and have clear eyes? Rich countries exist, poor ones of course exist. What i feel pathetic is that children have to have their own place that they can dream, eat properly, keep clean, enjoy childhood, and smile withour money problems. I'm confused if it's a matter of parents or government or themselves.