Coby's Thoughts

This trip has been quite the experience. Overall, I’ve loved being here. Being in El Centro del MuchachoTrabajador (The Working Boys Center) has really been a blessing, as it’s really shown what the world is like. There is real poverty in this world, and the people at CMT are doing the real legwork to help. I’ve had many highlights this week, ranging from our experiences with the people to my time with my friends, but that would have me writing all day. I have to focus, for my highlight, on our trips to the homes of the impoverished during our time in Quito.

 

When we boarded the bus to go on house visits, I was not particularly excited. Part of this was because it was extremely early, but the other part was that I had encountered extreme poverty before in my travels to China. So I wasn’t about to be shocked or awed. Saddened, definitely, but not shocked. When we got to the houses and as the day wore on, shuttling from place to place, I was shocked. Not by the poverty, but the attitude of the people who lived in the houses. Despite their run down and frankly unsanitary conditions, they seemed close to content or happy, when I know I wouldn’t be. This got me thinking as we reflected later in the day, and everyone talked about how we should feel selfish for wanting and taking everything we have as Americans for granted. I don’t think we should. The difference between them and us is exposure. We, as residents of a first world country, are exposed to someone always being “better” than us. Having more, earning more, and dreaming more. Inherently, it’s hard to be satisfied in an environment that tells us to stay hungry. Here, however, that culture doesn’t exist. People in poverty-stricken Quito are focused on living their lives and maximizing what they have. They aren’t resigned to their fate; they are embracing it, living happily and simply with what God gave them. I’m not saying we should abandon what we have or that American culture is evil. Just that we can learn a little by embracing what we have now before looking on to our next challenge.