We can be rich in so many ways....

Alison Neighbourly Lead from Kamo

A father who wanted his son to know what it was like to be poor brought him to live with a farming family for a few days. The child stayed there for 3 days and 3 nights.
Back in the car on their way to the town, his father asked him:
"And your experience?"

"Fine," replied the boy.
"Did you learn anything?"
The boy then explained:
1. We have a dog and they have four of them.
2. We have a pool with treated water. They have a river with crystal clear water, fish and other good things
3. We have electric lights in our street, but they have the stars and the moon to light them up.
4. Our garden extends to the fence. Theirs to the horizon.
5. We buy our food; they cultivate, harvest and cook their own.
6. We listen to CDs ... they hear a symphony of birds, crickets and other animals ...
... all this, sometimes accompanied by the singing of a neighbour who works on the farm.
7. We use the microwave. What they cook tastes much better cooked slowly by a fire.
8. We are surrounded by alarms and fences to protect ourselves ... They live with open doors, protected by the friendship and love of their neighbours.
9. We are connected to the telephone, computer and television. They are in communion with life, sky, sun, water, land, animals, friends and their families.
The father was impressed with his son's feelings. Then finally the son comes to the conclusion:
"Thanks for showing me how poor we are dad! Every day we get poorer because we no longer live in nature like farmers do!!!"