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We are spoiled beyond belief.
- Nov 10, 2008 at 10:46 AM
- By
- Comments (58) Total Views (1699) Everyone can see this journal post.
It seems nearly every time I watch Sesame Street these days, Grover visits Africa and they show the clip of the wretchedly poor children attending school. It breaks my heart every single time, and I think long and hard about how easy we have it here in our country and how badly we take our conveniences for granted.
The clip shows a woman with her baby strapped to her back, waking her young daughter up for school. The child has slept on the floor of a hut, and washes her feet from a bucket and then cleans her teeth with her finger from the same bucket. Her mother hands her lunch, a small amount of food wrapped in paper. Then the child walks barefoot to school, where dozens and dozens of other children are all crammed into one room and taught by one teacher. They learn to write using chalk and small pieces of blackboard. They are eager to learn.
The children do not have expensive, safety approved playground equipment. They jump en masse for fun. They wear worn clothing and few, if any, have shoes. They don't have nutritionist-approved meals in the school cafeteria, or computers in the library, or teacher aides or overhead projectors or textbooks or school budgets. They don't have the luxury of being finicky about their food.
I wish Americans would stop being such spoiled bitches about everything. Whine, bitch, moan and complain. We are so oblivious to how other people live their daily lives elsewhere in the world. We are petty and selfish and self-absorbed. We are luckier than we'll ever know.
A child watching that clip on Sesame Street may not realize the depth of poverty it portrays, but an adult should, and it should make an impact. One Christian phrase that always has resounded for me is that "if not but by the Grace of God, that would be me." Apply that sentiment to your own personal spiritualism or philosophy and it will go a long way to refreshing your compassion for those less fortunate.
Comments:
My husband and I were watching this segment on Sesame Street just this morning. (Our three-year-old went to go get his shoes and missed it.) It was quite eye-opening and jarring, and it really puts things into perspective our privileged life in this country. But just the fact that the little girl went to school with other children was extremely encouraging, in that her family valued education despite their obvious hardship and poverty. Education for these African children isn’t a given as it is for our kids. A thoughtful post--thanks!
Why is comment number thirteen gone? Did you delete yourself? :(
Good post and a good reminder. I have also seen that Sesame Street clip and it always saddens me. As well as when I see Missionary's video displays of the countries they're going to. The quote at the end is so true "If not for the grace of God....."
You're so right, Joye. We are spoiled beyond belief. We've gotten very used to our creature comforts and the things that we think we just can't live without.
Great post! I really do feel blessed in my life. I wish more people would be satisfied.
Agreed!!
Just what I would want my preschooler watching.
I wholeheartedly agree. I like to think i'm VERY thankful for the life i have though. The house i live in, the food i eat, the clothes i wear, the car i have, heater if i'm cold and an air-conditioner if i'm hot. Makes me feel selfish just having those things. That's why i collect for the Red Shield Appeal (it's for the Salvation Army in case your wondering) every year and i have done for the last 10 years. Couldn't do it last year wanted to but my fiance wouldn't let me as i was a month off having my second child. Felt really guilty though. It's what makes me so mad when my eldest won't eat his dinner after i prepare him a nice hot wholesome plateful. I know their are kids and probably adults in third world countries who'd give a limb for a plate of food like that.
We are blessed.
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