Giving to the poor

Recently I was asked about children begging and what to give them. The writer was upset about it and wanted to give appropriately. So I thought I would give a general reply.

I live on the West Bank and my husband is a local. Many members of his family are poor. His sister is married to man who gets work on the roads and fields and could not break into tourism as he speaks no English. She had 5 children, four living and one died in a tragic accident. There is no running water in her house, they share communal toilet. But they never go hungry because my husband, her brother always buys extra and give her some. This is the way the West Bank works, a neighbour would always help you out, generally that neighbour is also a relative.

In her family an illness, the beginning of the school year when books have to be bought, the children growing out of clothes is a burden. It is hard for her family and we have to help out, I feel it is a privilege to help her. She does not let her children beg and would be mortified if they did.


However some families do, and the children make good money which they bring back to the family. This will buy much needed medicines, books for school, meat, clothes but being kids some of it will go on sweets.

If you really want to give money I would suggest giving it to the mosque, they will pass it to poor families, widows, orphans etc that you will never see. With the children at the sites I would give sweets, pens, hair slides AS YOU LEAVE.