Beggar Woman

Thursday, July 18, 2013-  Jacmel, Haiti 


A few of us are sitting on the porch in the late afternoon.  A well groomed woman strolls by and greets us, “Bon swa”, she calls out, pleasantly.  Some of us respond back.  She glances back at us, somewhat startled.  My accent must have caught her attention because she does a double take. She begins to search for me. She notices me.  She stops in her tracks and comes right up to the house.  The porch gate separates us.  She looks at me and begins to rub her stomach and then touches her mouth.  I know this gesture.  People beg to me for food and money every day.

“She is hungry, she wants gourdes”, says one of the young girls who lives in the house.

At first, I am uncomfortable.  Then I become annoyed.  This woman does not look to be destitute.  It appears to me as if she is just cashing in on what she sees is her lucky moment.  She has encountered a white woman.  She is persistent.  She has now stood in front of me for five minutes and we are at a stalemate.

One of the women in the house comes over and makes sure the gate is secured shut.  She doesn’t chase the woman away but she makes it known that the woman can’t come any closer to me.  Everyone watches to see what I will do.  I sense that they cannot understand why I don’t just give her money.  But I am offended by all for this behavior.  I am exhausted by the poverty and my expected role to help right this wrong.  I can’t fix it all and I can’t give money to every damn person who wants to take advantage of my skin color.  

Now I am angry.  She seems to begin to pick up more tone, more attitude as she stands there and calls to me.  All eyes are on me. One of us has to back down and after five minutes, she does.  She walks away and mutters something under her breathe.  I sit there for a few minutes, very uncomfortable, trying to calm myself and waiting for the rest for the household to scatter and move on from this unpleasant encounter.

For more stories about my time in Haiti, please of to Bridgetkellyinhaiti.blogspot.com