Sitting in the car eagerly waiting for the drive thru queue to move up so I can press the pedal and handover my money, in exchange for an instant hit of hot food nicely prepared in a fancy box. Instead, to my surprise as I turned the corner, I was hit with a reality check, a feeble old lady with protruding bones begging for money.
Unfortunately this woman was not an exception but part of a growing norm becoming more and more evident on the streets of Kingston, Jamaica. “Nah give her money she ah guh spen it pun drugs”, someone bellowed through the crack of my car window just as I contemplated reaching for my purse. So, I reached for an extra thousand dollars to top up my order for another serving of hot cooked food, in order to fill a deprived hole in desperate need. While I waited for my food, I was hit by another reality check, ‘how long has this little old soul been waiting for her next meal…maybe five hours?
Homeless and helpless or reliant on handouts. How do you know who’s genuinely in need and how far do you extend the ‘help’; help to buy food, provide shelter or secure employment? I knew I wanted to help but the question was, how? Somehow fulfilling her appetite just wasn’t enough, I wanted to do more. I questioned, why is she on the streets so late begging? Yes! I realise she’s homeless but why should we accept this and just ‘let it be’, labelling her as the scrawny homeless woman. Surely, there is still hope for her to at least be fed and sheltered.
To continue reading, purchase Vol.8 #2, 2015 Issue.