Just a few days ago, the following communication landed in my e-mail box. The situation described is heart wrenching, and I can hear the writer's frustration at the hand she and her family have been dealt. Further, she is absolutely correct that people land in poverty situations often by no fault of their own. (see Really . . . What Does IT Look Like?) It happened to them, it could happen to me, and it could happen to you. The thing is that in this abundant world, we should be making it a priority that it doesn't happen to anyone.
Please give Shandi's letter a read . . . and more importantly please give it some thought and let her message sink in and affect how you see the world.
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To That Poverty Project:
I wanted to send you a thank you
from my family for what you are doing.
We, unfortunately, have been doing the same thing but not by choice as you are. To have someone bring awareness to the fact that there are people worldwide that are having what would be classified "hard times" is refreshing.
Since August my family and I have been homeless and living on very little, but we are still making it work. Just to let you know, the whole story is my husband and I were hit by a drunk driver that was under insured. Our local state agency in Idaho, USA said that they were there to help and then placed liens on the insurance money and all of our property. When we were unable to repay what they stated they had paid on our behalf they took all the insurance money, our home and our car to repay them. All of this happened because of the choice one person made that affected our life and we had no choice. Our choices were taken away on that night. Now, because of that choice, my husband is permanently disabled and I have to take care of him so I am not able to work.
We, unfortunately, have been doing the same thing but not by choice as you are. To have someone bring awareness to the fact that there are people worldwide that are having what would be classified "hard times" is refreshing.
Since August my family and I have been homeless and living on very little, but we are still making it work. Just to let you know, the whole story is my husband and I were hit by a drunk driver that was under insured. Our local state agency in Idaho, USA said that they were there to help and then placed liens on the insurance money and all of our property. When we were unable to repay what they stated they had paid on our behalf they took all the insurance money, our home and our car to repay them. All of this happened because of the choice one person made that affected our life and we had no choice. Our choices were taken away on that night. Now, because of that choice, my husband is permanently disabled and I have to take care of him so I am not able to work.
One thing that I may have missed
is . . . have you addressed the different local so-called “helping” agencies? I
know from personal experience that they do need to be put in check. I have
tried on many different occasions to get help for my family. I have been told that the agency would help
but would take my child away from me; or that they would help but even though I have no money to clean
myself up I have to go look for a job looking like a homeless person because
that is what I am. I know it doesn't sound like a big issue but when you look
like a homeless person, in all honesty, who is going to hire you? Trust me I
have tried and there is not anyone. Now I know that this may sound like a pity
party and that I am looking for sympathy but that is not what I am wanting. I
just like to have someone take a look at the different circumstances that have
caused people to be in the situations that they are in, and not just the fact
that they are there.
It seems that you have the attention of many so maybe you can bring awareness to the cause of the different situations for these groups of people. Not everyone is poor, homeless, or living in poverty because they were born there or because they made poor choices. Some people are forcibly put on the street or into poverty because of the choices someone else made that they had no control over. Yes, I feel horrible for those people that are in the situation of not having enough food or shelter and for those living in 3rd world countries that do not have the proper anything for life. Please do not take this to be belittling in any way to what others are going through, but there are those people everywhere that have had other peoples choices cause them to be in these deplorable conditions.
It seems that you have the attention of many so maybe you can bring awareness to the cause of the different situations for these groups of people. Not everyone is poor, homeless, or living in poverty because they were born there or because they made poor choices. Some people are forcibly put on the street or into poverty because of the choices someone else made that they had no control over. Yes, I feel horrible for those people that are in the situation of not having enough food or shelter and for those living in 3rd world countries that do not have the proper anything for life. Please do not take this to be belittling in any way to what others are going through, but there are those people everywhere that have had other peoples choices cause them to be in these deplorable conditions.
Once again thank you for bringing awareness to the bulk of this matter you work will help many.
Shandi
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Phase II - Struggles of the Working Poor Daily
Report
Day 81 - 84 (January 20th – January 23rd)
Day 81 - 84 (January 20th – January 23rd)
Weight at Beginning of Project: 233 lbs
Weight at End of Phase One: 216 lbs
Weight at Start of Phase Two: 221 lbs
Weight at Start of Today: 217 lbs
Available Funds: $15.34 (leftover)
+ $8.50 (Jan 20) + $6.00 (Jan 21) + $9.00 (Jan 22) + $9.00 (Jan 23) = $47.84Weight at End of Phase One: 216 lbs
Weight at Start of Phase Two: 221 lbs
Weight at Start of Today: 217 lbs
Funds Spent Today: $28.65 (Purchases) + $10.00 (Loan Repayment) = $38.65
Remaining Funds: $9.19
New Loan: $0.00
Loan Payment Due Today: $0.00
Loan Payment: $10.00
Outstanding Loan: $25.78 as at Jan 19th (originally $50.00 Loan on Jan 3, $25.00 principal remaining) @ 3% per month = $25.88 Owing as at Jan 23rd - $10.00 loan payment = $15.88 owing as a Jan 23rd . . . full re-payment due January 31st (or earlier)
Items Purchased: $5 Gas, 6 Bananas, 6 Apples, 2 Pork Butt Steaks (Big Sale!), Bunch of Green Onions, 0.15 kg JuJubes, 0.3 kg Peanuts, 5 lb Bag of Potatoes, Dozen Eggs, 4 Noodle Soups
Free Stuff: Nil Loan Payment Due Today: $0.00
Loan Payment: $10.00
Outstanding Loan: $25.78 as at Jan 19th (originally $50.00 Loan on Jan 3, $25.00 principal remaining) @ 3% per month = $25.88 Owing as at Jan 23rd - $10.00 loan payment = $15.88 owing as a Jan 23rd . . . full re-payment due January 31st (or earlier)
Items Purchased: $5 Gas, 6 Bananas, 6 Apples, 2 Pork Butt Steaks (Big Sale!), Bunch of Green Onions, 0.15 kg JuJubes, 0.3 kg Peanuts, 5 lb Bag of Potatoes, Dozen Eggs, 4 Noodle Soups
Gas Purchased* & Remaining: $5.00 (i.e.
4.51 litres @ $1.109 per litre . . . 45.1 km @ 10 km/litre) + 2.02 litres (gas
remaining) = 6.53 litres (65.3 km)
Driving Today: 32.0 km (i.e. 3.20 litres)
Gas Remaining: 3.33 litres (i.e. 33.3 km)
*Will not include
any fuel or driving related to work that is paid for by work.Driving Today: 32.0 km (i.e. 3.20 litres)
Gas Remaining: 3.33 litres (i.e. 33.3 km)
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wow Shandi...thanks for giving a face /name to the very real point that too many of us dont face...that there are people that were done wrong to....and We Need To Be the Change to See a Change !
ReplyDeletei pray things start to turn around for you by a miraculous intervention!!!
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Most of us live with the delusion that it will never happen to us and then it does and we have no clue how to handle it. Now that I have lived this first hand I want to make sure that as many people know about these situations as possible.
DeleteI don't even know where to begin .... How to adequately express how Shandi's letter makes me feel. There should be no way insurance issues and a drunk driver should EVER result in your outcome. That makes me frustrated and deeply sad at the same time. Then to hear about the possibility of having your child taken because you need to access services. Unbelievable!! What has our world come to? Where is our humanity? I so admire your strength and I know somtimes having to be so strong can wear you down. I hope and pray for a break to come your way. From Janet (aka The Missus)
ReplyDeleteI know that this is a hard truth to swallow. I was always under the impression that certain things in life were just there. Now that I have seen the ugly truth about how state and government services work I am not only disgusted but also very sad. There is a lot of fraud and I understand that fact but when someone truly needs help and you are treated like a criminal there is something very wrong with the system. I appreciate all the prayers and the well wishes from everyone and I hope that my experience with this helps someone else get through tough times.
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