B.J. Murrey - World Orphans, Central America

My first weekend in Guatemala, I spent in the mountains of Coban with Brian & my roommate Wosbeli. While out on the main square one night, 3 little girls came walking up to us, asking for money because they were hungry. I never give anyone money unless I know them, but also to never turn away legitimate need. So my dialogue with the girls went like this:

“Where are your parents?” I asked in response to the 3 clean, pretty well-dressed girls.

“My dad is with another woman.” Came the emotionless reply from the oldest, who was maybe seven.

I told them “If you are hungry, I will buy you food right now, but I am not going to give you money at all.”

Again, the oldest girl responded for the group, but only after exchanging a quick glance & whisper with her siblings. “Gracias!” she said cheerfully as they quickly walked away in rejection of my food & in search for some change.

Later the same week, in Antigua, while eating with friend John Forbes in a restaurant, an older, well-weathered woman walked up, who was missing teeth. In surprisingly great English, she recounted how she was in a bad spot and needed money. I spotted the signs of drug use pretty readily and again offered her anything from the menu that we were currently enjoying. To my delight, she asked for a glass of milk. The staff reluctantly brought it to her, but made her wait outside to receive it, and then apologized profusely to us for the interruption. I told the waitress it was no problem, and something in her expression seemed to want to help the woman to, but she was obligated by her job to chase this woman out, so as not to lose the valuable business of any of the many foreigners who frequent this beautiful town…