In Reply to: a few questions posted by keddy on Sunday, 9. October 2005 at 13:16 Bali Time:
street corners are usually part of a 'syndicate' if you like. THe kids normally aren't theirs. However, if you're ever around Poppies 1 &2 late at night, you can see women sleeping out with their kids. Nobody would choose to do this surely. & yet out late on night with our Indo friends they pointed out that there is a refuge in Denpasar? where homeless people (particularly with kids) can have a warm? but certainly dry bed and be fed for free. Apparently some people wont go there - maybe too shameful. Poor devils.
Personally I always donate to the old or disabled I ever see. Many years ago, on my very first trip I was out walking with literally only enough rupiahs to buy a drink and a taxi ride home. (Incidentally that's actually a very good peice of advice for Bali virgins given to me by an old hand. It's harder to get into trouble with only a 20,000 note!) A very old lady walked past, bent double with dowager's hump, & I suppose that in retrospect it was the first time I had ever seen real poverty on a personal level. She never said a word to me, but my inability to give her anything stuck with me ever since. Even now, when I see a very old woman, I always think of her.