anyone feel guilty when they hear the World Vision commercials?

[Ys_Woman]

I do feel bad. Often I think about getting rid of one, but as long as I am still eating chocolate and drinking wine, then I think I can afford to help a child.

Wow..you summed it up so beautifully. I feel the same way. Even when things were tough I didn't want to stop sponsoring because I felt I would be letting her down. I can't afford to sponsor a second child but I pay a tiny amount extra each month so WV can help boys who were dragged into wars at a very young age, and girls who were put into prostitution.
I didn't know the usable amount was as high as 70cents in the dollar. How cool.

Amy

[forbetoel]

I have sponsored a little boy for about 6 years now. He is the unofficial 5th son in our family. We also send him direct cash gifts which he has purchased goats and clothing for his family with.

I couldn't live the life I have without sponsoring to be quite honest. While I am not 'well off' by Australian standards...I am filthy rich by 3rd world standards, and I know it.

[mumren]

my dp was brought up in western suburbs in victoria, his parents were heroin addicts, he has 6 other siblings, most of them were born junkies, they went with out there whole childhood, they ddnt eat most days, most of his sibblings have become the next generation of drug users, my dp was lucky he was taken out of the home at age 15 and sorted his life out, he is now a plumber and we do very well, when we finish having our children we are going to be a foster hoefor under privliged AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN, i know its different to starving children in 3rd world countrys, i just feel i would rather help children of my country first who sometimes get forgotten, they need our help, but they are hidden, it is my aim to help as many as i can,

[LittleMissSunshine]

Yes i do feel bad, and so fortunate that not only do my child has food in her bellies and a roof over her head, but she also lives in a country where she is given opportunity, support and education. I do understand that my child has needs, but i think that she should appreciate what she has and if it means that i buy her one less toy, or giveup a dinner out etc and send that money that would mean soo much to someone who needs it.
I have sponsered a child in afghanistan and really even though we are extremely tight with our budget, those few extra dollars a week make hardly the difference for us, but would make such a world of a difference to that sponsered child.

[maddysmummy]

I used to feel guilty, reading about it all, and especially the TV adverts, and you are just eating a massive dinner! The way I think about it, and it is going to sound horrible, but I wouldn't bring a child into that kind of world, knowing what is ahead for them?
These women know what a struggle it is to get through the day, walking miles for water etc, yet happily (?) have children.
Sod all of the food, and the seeds and tools we send them, the older women need to be steralized, and then the comunity can build its self up with the people that are already there.
Instead of adding to the madness, that is unfortunatly, the 3rd world.
Because I know, that I would never bring a child up in them horrible conditions. I wont even think about having another child not, I want to get paid alot more etc before I would consider it.
I suppose this reply is quite harsh, I wish I could word it in a different way.

But I do think that people who sponser children are fantastic people, because as people have said, them few dollars a week make a hell of a lot of lives different. =)

[trixiebelle17]

do i feel guilty yes and no...
i travelled through eastern africa earlier this yr, and it really did bring another meaning when to 'finish ur dinner there are starving children in africa' when u could see the kids on the other side of the field... what i felt sad about was when we did give them our food, most of it ended up on the ground... when we gave the kids generous tips for showing us around, they spent it on coke... when we gave money to villages the adults looked clean and the children looked diseased and dirty...
i do not currently sponser a child, but i give back to the community within australia and for the time being that is enough for me...
understanding some of the politics and the way aid money affects the communities i dont feel comfortable sending money at the moment... there are arguments that aid money is only making the situation worse

[our little treasures]

I think we should look after our own backyard before we start helping others. There are many towns of people living in 3rd world conditions in Australia.

We have lots of children that need a place to live temp and need clothes food etc.

Also if you really understand the politics you might not think it's so great to sponsor a child.

So no I don't feel guilty about the children overseas but I do for people in our country

[XandersMummy]

What reason would anyone in Australia live in third world conditions?

The welfare system here is unbelievably good.
So good that many people never need to look for work. I am quite familiar with the welfare system in the US where I moved from, and it is no where near as comprehensive as it is here.

So how, may I ask you, do people live in third world conditions here?

If there are children who live in horrid conditions due to parental neglect, then it is the fault of the schools/extended family/neighbours for not reporting it.

But in terms of starving to death, I doubt anyone on bubhub knows of any person in Australia facing that peril.

What about having to drink water contaminated with feces? I doubt that happens often here either.

I'm sorry, but whether you sponsor a child or not, or whether you like/hate World Vision, Australian living conditions of even the most poor cannot be compared to third world standards.

It matters not to me how corrupt the government is, what matters is that there are innocent children dying who desperately need help. So while some may argue the pros and cons of helping others versus self-sufficiency, I'll do what I can to help keep a child from dying of hunger. Those small tummies don't care whose fault it is, they just want food and water.

Geez, I believe in helping family first, and I happily donate to local charities but nothing in this entire country can compare to what third world children suffer.

Again, just my opinion.

[forbetoel]

Comparing the children of 3rd world Countries to Australia's poor is like comparing apples to oranges.

I sometimes think that some people don't get that these children are NOT fed. They may get a cup of rice once every couple of days or so, and the water that the rice is cooked with, is more likely to kill them than the starvation.

I agree 100% with the above post.

Some of our Aboriginal children are living in 3rd world conditions, but other than that, even those children being raised on unemployment benifits are rich by 3rd world standards.

I don't know how anyone couldn't feel bad about those children, I really don't.

[Angelmist♥]

I have sponsored a little boy for about 6 years now. He is the unofficial 5th son in our family. We also send him direct cash gifts which he has purchased goats and clothing for his family with.

I couldn't live the life I have without sponsoring to be quite honest. While I am not 'well off' by Australian standards...I am filthy rich by 3rd world standards, and I know it.