outback to jungle

Musings on experiences of volunteering in Papua New Guinea with some gratuitous domestic social and public comment

Thursday, October 05, 2006

I don't know if I did the right thing

yesterday. An acquaintance rang up and told me they were hungry and hadn't had anything to eat and they needed money. I met them and gave them K5. The previous day John had given his last K10 to the brothers at the church and I felt I should try to follow this selfless example. This acquaintance has a job and comparatively, anyone with a job is rich. The security guards don't earn much - about 90t an hour - but comparatively they are on less than the acquaintance's wage. Last week I gave K40 to Peter to help him get to his nephew's funeral. The previous week I had given K70 to a wonwok to help them get to a funeral. Each week I pay my haus meri K40 - even when I went on Leave without pay to go back to sort things out with Matt. I wasn't getting money coming in myself but I had to pay money out to someone else. As a volunteer I am on the same wage as nationals but as a wait man I am seen as having more that can be given away. The security guards are on so little so I prefer to help them when I can and my church. As well as that there are the beggars on the streets who are always after me for money simply on account of being a wait man. And then there are the pickpockets who take from you anyway without asking.
So why do I feel as though I did the wrong thing yesterday? Because the K5 that went there is not available to go to Peter or Joseph who never ask for anything.
As well, the wealth of those with wealth is obscene and they want more. Worse than pigs at a trough, the corruption snorts into its own pockets any extra scamming allowances it can get hold of for its own selfish use. The little that I gave away last week is a drop compared with what corruption took for itself.

1 Comments:

At 7:57 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Whether it's right on not depends on how you feel about giving money to people.
Only, I worried that more people will ask for money and in your good nature give to them. This sounds like you are getting into the wantok system which is great for social acceptance and security but a huge drain on your finances.
Keep blogging, I like reading them.
I haven't yet created my own blog so am annoymous.

 

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