Our Forgotten People Essay Sample

My parents have always provided for my needs and wants. They have always pampered me from the time I was a child. I never at any one time lacked anything I needed or wanted. It is for this reason that I never really knew the money value. I am from a rich family and thus money was never an issue or a problem in my family. My parents could give me as much money as I needed when I needed it.
One day, my high school friends and I decided to visit poor people in Saudi Arabia. This was a life changing trip to me because of what I saw and experienced firsthand. Even though it was just for a few hours, this experience completely transformed my attitude towards life. Compare to the city I lived in, this place did not seem bearable or conducive for human life, but still there were people living and surviving in that place. The houses here were very small and they were poorly built. They seemed as if they could collapse at any given moment. The ceiling seemed to be peeling off and the tin sheets covering the roof were very old and full of holes. I wondered how these people managed to prevent rain water from seeping inside the houses. The houses lacked air conditioners and had very poor ventilation. The windows were wooden and some were just covered with tins. It was a mystery to me how these people managed to sustain the heat from Saudi’s hot sun.
The people here were extremely kind. They kindly ushered us into their homes despite their lack. They were extremely kind hearted. The family I visited especially allowed me to take a tour of their house. It was very small compared to my house and compared to the size of this particular family. The house had a main room which was utilized as a living room. There were some wooden chairs and a mat which they used to sit on. The house had two bedrooms, one of which the children shared, while the other was used by their parents. In the children’s bedroom, there was only one bed. They therefore had to share this bed while the rest slept on the floor.
The kitchen was built outside the main house. There was barely enough food for the whole family. The little available food was of very low quality. There was an old empty fridge which was not working.
No one in the whole family had a mobile phone. Communication to them is by word of mouth or the public telephone booths. To them owning a car was more than a luxury, it was a dream.
The children stayed home all day since their parents did not have enough money to take them to school. The older ones however went out sometimes in search of odd jobs to earn some money with which they supplemented their parents’ income. Their parents earned very little to cater for all the children. The younger ones just stayed at home and learnt from apprenticeship. There were no basic commodities like books or pens, things that I usually took for granted.
According to their father, he did not earn enough even to buy clothes for the children. They were therefore always in tattered pieces of clothing. The father though tried his best to ensure that they did not die of hunger. His desperation was evident from the manner in which he expressed himself. Very few rich people in the country take notice of this suffering, not even the government.
On my way back home, I encountered a homeless old man scavenging through garbage trying to find something to eat. The old man found a bottle of water. On closer scrutiny, one could tell that he was extremely thirsty. Instead of just gulping down the water, the old man picked up a kitten that was lying shivering next to the garbage can and gave the water to the kitten. This display of affection despite being in need was really touching. I believe I shed a tear or two from this ordeal. Overcome by my own emotions, I hurried on heading home.
I consistently thought about my experience that day on my way back home. I could not just conceive how human beings like me had to go through such tough lives while the rest of us enjoyed life oblivious of the plight of these poverty stricken people. The homeless are even worse off. They do not have anywhere to shelter themselves from the smearing heat or from the cold at night.
The idea of shelters to house the homeless should be supported by everyone in the society. The society should learn the value of sharing. The poor are always too hungry to even care about the choice of food they have as long the food is edible. If the society supported such programs whole heartedly, then there would not be homeless people in the society.
I could not sleep that night. My thoughts kept reflecting on what I had experienced that day. I could not do much but pray and thank God for the much I had and ceased asking for more. That experience completely changed my life. I stopped nagging my parents and got contented with what they gave me.
I have also joined a program in Saudi Arabia that supports the homeless. As members of this group, we volunteer in turns to visit poor people, taking to them food, water, clothes, blankets and other basic amenities they might require. We sometimes try and raise money and construct shelters for the homeless while at times we use this money to repair homes of the poor people. This selfless decision is so fulfilling. It makes me glad to put smiles on these poor people. My parents are very supportive and often contribute a lot towards these missions.
It is so good to see your efforts helping another individual who would otherwise be suffering. There this young father who hugged me so passionately that I become sad and happy at the same time, sad because I could not alleviate all their problems but happy because I was at least doing something to help them off their problems. It does not take much to offer a helping hand, but just a willing and kind heart to share what we have with those who do not have. I urge everyone to develop the attitude of sharing for the benefit of all humanity. The hand that gives is often more blessed than that which receives. Share even if it is just little.