As I said in a post last week, I have been thinking about begging. This has been on my mind because I will soon be traveling to Africa with a group of people, some who have never before experienced the extreme poverty that we will see on this trip. They will experience begging and beggars, and I'd like to give them advice on how to wisely and graciously react to the inevitable requests for money.
Early in my time living in Rwanda, I asked a Rwandan friend how he deals with begging and people asking for money. He said that he typically only gives to people that he knows, and only if he is aware of the problem that is causing them to seek financial help. He also said that when anyone asks for money, it is important to listen, acknowledge their situation, comfort them and give them encouragement. If you feel led to give money, go ahead ... but don't feel pressure to give money if you don't know the person.
As I was thinking about this, I remembered the woman in the picture below -- someone I met on a walk in rural Rwanda a few years ago. My first impression of this woman was amazement at the incredible bundle of beans and beanstalks that she was carrying on her head. Next I noticed her cute little baby, tightly wrapped and bound to her back -- peering around to see the white man. And then it dawned on me that this woman's hand was out and she was asking me for money! My immediate and instinctive response was to greet her and say, "Oh, you've got such a beautiful baby ... what is his name?" After engaging her in conversation and showing genuine interest in her as a person, the question of money didn’t even come up. Time and time again, I have found it to be very helpful to acknowledge people who are in need, to take the time to get to know them, and to learn about their situation before responding to their begging or requests for money.
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