Mowing

One issue we face here that we didn't face as often back home is begging. It can be quite a challenge. There is a higher level of poverty here than where we lived before and it certainly is closer to our house. So when people come to the gate asking for money or some jobs to earn money what should we do? We could give money and some people choose to, but then for me that just encourages more to come and I have a hard time knowing if the need is real or not.

Another thing that people often do is give food out, but I struggle with that as well sometimes thinking is the need real or is it that we give out better snacks than other people give. So one of the things that we have decided to do is to try and give jobs to the kids that come. It can be stressful especially when people come a lot, which can sometimes happen. But the girl clipping the grass in both these photos has proven to be quite a hard worker. She comes and asks "Can I have some job?" and sometimes I tell her yes and sometimes I tell her no. I don't always automatically give (which some people might look down on). But most often I have her cut our grass or sweep on a regular basis. She works very hard and does an excellent job.

I have cut the grass before with these clippers and let me tell you, it is a hard hot job. I wouldn't want to do it. But they always seem thrilled with the money we give them and I feel like they have earned the money so I know they must really need it.