Road to Rwanda-----"Give me money."

I have continued to struggle since returning with knowing how to handle children who accost us and ask for money.  This is a perpetual moral issue for me. When does one give to beggars and when does one not?  How much do you give to beggars? I have not a doubt that I will bear blood guiltiness for not being sensitive to the Lord's leading in this.

  As I walked home from school on Thursday, it was particularly difficult.  Many, many children, even if they know no other English words know, "Give me money." Even some adults seem to think it is a way to greet one.  (A bus driver that I waved at as he drove past most mornings last year, leaned out of his window one of the last school days and said, "Give me money." This was an adult, employed man with a bus full of children behind him who heard his statement.) 

Thursday as I walked, first one boy about 10 came up behind me and said, "Give me money." His clothes were dirty and ragged, but he also was not starving.  I did what we have decided was the right response here and frowned and said, "No, don't ask that."  One of the biggest reasons that refusal is the most pragnatic response is because withine 3 minutes of the boy coming beside me, there were another 4 kids behind him saying, "Give me money." Do you give to everyone?  If I do within the next few steps will there be 10 or more?  ( In Senegal there were masses of boys with tomato paste cans begging on the streets and they mobbed you.  There it was a Muslim religious necessity to give something, but we were told never to give money because it was just handed over to the Imam where the boys were being taught the Koran.  Instead we always tried to keep some peanuts rolled up or some other food that we would share around. Once you had given for the day, you said, "Bal ma", meaning I have all ready given today and it was over with.  No such system seems effective here.)  One of the boys finally had enough English to engage me a bit.  I readily responded to his "hello", and asking my name, etc. But when no money was forthcoming, the group of kids moved on.  

About 10 minutes later as I was still trudging home another girl came up to me and said, "Give me money." She then pointed down to her feet. She only had one shoe on.  What do you do? I still did not give her anything, but seriously, what is the answer? We have so very, very much, and even if they are not starving (I am very confident of that. This is a reasonably prospersous coutnry with a reasonable social welfare network,) but they are still very poor.  Very rarely do we give anything, but I truly am not sure that is the right thing.  I continue to pray for the appropriate answer.