The reality of poverty

Yesterday I was shown a small building that had been abandoned. Any time you abandon a building, be it a house, or any other, the process of destruction begins. First sinks, toilets, and windows are removed, along with anything else of value that could be used in someone else's house. Then it becomes one giant bathroom, for every male that passes by. Drug addicts begin to use it as a place to stay. The spray paint comes out and vulgarities appear on the outside. Curiously, inside this one were painted pictures, also vulgarities,but painted with obvious artistic talent.

As we drove up, a woman came up to meet us. She is a squatter who lives in a tiny room in the abandoned property. She is a drug addict. Her six year old deaf son was tagging along with her. I "talked" to him a bit with sort of a home sign. He was responsive and bright. He doesn't go to school, and chances are he never will, so eventually that intelligence will be dimmed, as he suffers from extreme language deprivation

The mom said that she didn't have the money to send him to school. I'm sure that is true, since any money she gets she needs to feed her habit, and probably her income is tiny. I told her about the school, that she should bring her son over, knowing at the same time that it's unlikely she'll ever come.

Here, it isn't just a matter of reporting the situation to social services.

It's just a part of this Dominican Life.