Real people in real need

At work, our staff are divided into different work teams. One is "Lead & Inspire", looking after all office functions, sports days, retreats - you know, the fluffy stuff. Another is the "Think Tank". Guess what they do? And the other is the "Projects Team" which I fall into. Our latest project is helping the community. Yes very vague. We've been talking to various charitable organizations and enquiring as to what we the BAT staff can do to help. It's all very well to sign a $10k cheque (and with the money we make from cigarette sales, $10k is peanuts), but we want to do something meaningful and fulfilling. Visiting Vbar every Friday just doesn't do it for us anymore. We want something more.

Our team discussed what organizations we should approach, everyone said Samoa Victim Support Group. This group has been moving mountains fighting the corrupt police system and fighting for rights of individuals who are victims of assault, rape, incest, you name it, they'll fight for it. I suggested St Vincent de Paul. Everyone said "what's that?" Now St Vincent has been in Samoa since 1966. 40 years later and people still don't know what it is. St Vincent is an international charitable organization dedicated to helping the poor and the needy.

Anyway, why I bring this up is because of the cases SVDP have dealt with. Here are a few:

There is a leper in Leauvaa who supports his family of 5 with his plantation. He has had one leg amputated and his hands are malformed, and he struggles with work. SVDP donated food and clothing, pays the children's school fees and uniforms.

A family in Vaiusu a man struggles to find part time work, while caring for his wife who is diabetic and had both legs amputated, and a son who is brain-damaged. SVDP gave them a washing machine, food and clothing.

An old woman and her son in Faleula have lived on their own in a small shack. Their extended family have not shown any signs of helping them. The son suffers from memory loss and muscle weakness. His mother has since been transferred to Mapuifagalele. SVDP built a house for them, and are looking for someone to take care of the old woman's son.

Here's a sad one. A family of 6 children in Falelatai - 4 of whom are blind, and 2 are spastic and brain damaged. The mother has to carry her spastic children back and forth to the toilet which is a fair distance from the house. SVDP built a new house with a cement walkway and ramp to the toilet and provided a wheelchair. They also assist regularly with medical costs. Can you imagine, SIX children who are handicapped??

Hearing about cases like these makes me feel extremely LUCKY. Here I am wishing I had a bigger house, a nicer car, I throw a fit if there's no cereal on the table, or if we have elegi 2 nights in a row, and I wish my children were less naughty and wouldn't bloody run around so much. And to think there are people who have no homes, whose children cannot walk, and who don't have food to eat. I mean watching starving children in Africa on the news doesn't make much of an impact on me, but finding people in these situations so close to home is a different matter.

From now on, I will make an effort not to whine so much about my life and my kids, and I will stop saving all my clothes from 5 years ago which I tell myself I will fit into again one day soon, and donate them instead. There are so many small things we can do which can make such a huge difference to other people's lives. I am grateful to these organizations which help make the world a better place! Thank you Michael Jackson :)