A bunch of lady friends (Jordanian and American and both) were having a yummy Mexican themed dinner together. At one point in the conversation, we were talking about people begging and selling stuff on the street. MommaBean mentioned up that she always buys gum from the boys selling to encourage their work ethic – if it is not school time – I will usually do that too if I have change.
One woman said “Oh, I saw one of those boys so sad the other day, sitting crying in the median because his box of gum fell and scattered on teh street. Several of us helped him and gave him money to buy more.” We all aawwwwd, poor kid!
Then another said “Oh, I saw that happen too, last week”
A third said “Me too…uh-oh…”
Seems the gum sellers have found a new way to pull the heart-strings of mothers in cars to make money.
Pretty darn creative I’d say!
kinzi sorry to say but i almost fell in that trap 5 years ago, i felt so bad for a kid that was crying because he lost his gum and if he go empty handed he will end up beaten really bad, n i was going to give him money but luckily that day it turned out that i only had on me big bills, and i didnt give me anything at all…and i apologized to him kaman…when i shared the story with a friend and told me its fraud, i was happy that i didnt ending up giving him money…but till this i wonder how such a little kid has so much power to act that way!!!!! it was so heartbreaking to watch him cry. i wanted to hug the little devil.
my point of sharing this story is to say its always has been like that and its not something new at all!!!!
Oo, so glad you post things like this!
Ha, those kids saw YOU guys coming!
This is an issue that I always want to mention in my blog. Something I like very much in the US is the Family and Children’s services. I am sure you know what happens to bad parents in the US. They lose custody of their children.
Some or maybe all fathers in Jordan sending their children to sell on the streets should lose custody of their children. I know it is not that simple since the government needs to provide the means for those poor children. Are you aware of such similar thing in Jordan? At least if a parent is found abusing his or her child is their any kind of consequences for his or her act?
In my opinion, I think we should not buy from children because the more they sell the more their parents are determined to take them out of schools to the streets. What do you think, is this a valid point? Or do you think that poor families have no other choice? I think it would make a good debate and article for your next JO Magazine entry