What the wealthy have and don't want to lose

This blog is about power…so please read it to the end to understand me, because I use an example that has received all sorts of knee-jerk reactions from folks in the States.

I have a family member who loves to argue politics, economics, current events, etc. when we are together…it is sport with him.  Several years ago in one of our “discussions”…I said, “You have no idea what the world thinks of us as a nation [meaning the USA].”  He replied, “I don’t care.”

This last trip I made to SC, he said, “Is your president [meaning Nicaraguan] crazy?  Offering a place to Snowden?  Does he not know what that looks like from up here?”
 
Ahh!   And there we have the crux of the problem.  We who have power do not care what those who have no power think… BUT those without power should walk the path that others set for them.

Nicaragua's 1st "ultra-luxurious boutique resort"...

The wealthy do not care that they have multiple homes and cars….that they throw away more food than most families can eat in a year…that their lifestyle is gross and horrific in a world of poverty and starvation.  BUT have a kid whose family receives food stamps wear a pair of shoes that costs over $100…THEN the judgment comes down on the poor.
 
Wealthy Nicaraguans live audaciously - like wealthy people world over – and they see no harm or shame in their abundance.  But listen to them complain if the government gives out food or homes or low interest credit to the poor…suddenly the government is enabling the poor to not care for themselves.

 

... and it costs $500/person/night

I am always amazed at how we, the wealthy of the world, think we did something special that allows us our wealth and how we know what is best for the poor because somehow their poverty is linked to their wrong doing OR doing not enough.

It is all about power.  The wealthy have it, don’t want to lose it, and will do whatever is necessary to keep it….and that makes us crazy, illogical, and mean.
 
The poor do not have the power… and that makes them stressed, desperate, and without hope.

…unless they join together and “fight” -- non-violently or violently -- to get it.
 
I grew up with the Bible.  The prophets and the Torah said "Take care of the poor, the widows, the orphans…share your crops with the poor."   Jesus said over and over …in essence… Let go of the power.  Let go of the wealth.  Share.  Take care of the least of these.  Serve the outcasts.  Never did Jesus say to a widow, “Pull yourself up by your boot straps.”
 
We, the wealthy and the powerful, live in a world where the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer and that is not right.  We have to let go.  We have to share.  We have to co-exist.  And we have to respect the poor.  We just have to.  It is the right thing to do.  It is the sane thing to do. -- Kathleen

Why Not?

Photo by Greg Ewert

Joseph, our son, goes to high school in Managua.  Many of the students come from wealthy homes and other countries.  He was reporting to me of one conversation he had with a new student about what we, his parents, did.  “My folks run an NGO in Ciudad Sandino.”
 
“A non-profit?”
 
“Yes,” says Joseph.
 
“Why?”
 
“To help poor people.”
 
“Why?”
 
“Because poor people need help.”
 
“But why are they doing it?” he friend persists.
 

Photo by Meghan O'Flagherty

Many people on delegations ask us, why we do what we do.  Is it because of our faith?  Is it because it gives us such good feelings to being doing so much good work?  Why?
 
Well, I would ask, “why is not everyone working for the poor?”
 
Really, why not?
 
Unless a person is so greedy and hard-hearted that they are just mean, why not help? 
 
Poor people who work together, struggle together, strive together…live better lives.
]
People who do not have to worry about where tomorrow’s food comes from…well, why are they not helping? 
 
All faiths call for alms for the poor…at a minimum.
 
Humanism calls for justice for all.  And who receives the least justice?  The poor.
 

Photo by Michelle Doak

People who talk about how rewarding the work must be for us obviously do not struggle day-in and day-out for the poor, because frankly it is heart breaking, it is wearing on the soul, it is exhausting. 
 
The reality of why we work for the poor is simply because it is the right thing to do.
 
But again… I think, my question is the more important question…Why not?
 
Why.  Not. -- Kathleen

Who pays the cost?

Volunteers sorting donated medicines with Josefa

Our clinic has more than doubled its expenses for medicines.  This is caused primarily by doubling the number of patients seen by our doctors and dentist, but also because we are getting fewer donated medicines from outside of the country due mainly to the policies set by the Nicaraguan government.

I have read articles and heard people complain about government bureaucracy, and it is true that we are doing more paperwork.  The Sandinista government is cracking down on medicines that come into the country without the proper paperwork and that  does include more work for the donors and for NGOs receiving the medications to file all this paperwork.  They also are cracking down on what can and cannot come into the country…like outdated medications.

So here is MY opinion:  the Nicaraguan government wants to protect its people.  Can you imagine the U.S. government allowing foreign groups to import outdated medications to serve the poor of Appalachia or New Orleans?

Even IF foreigners could bring trunk loads of medications into the States to treat the poor, can you imagine that customs would allow for broken seals, partial prescriptions, drugs that have been taken off the market due to side effects, etc.?  Can you imagine the paperwork the U.S. would require, IF you even could bring them in?

The new regulations in Nicaragua mean more medicine expense at our clinic, and that is frustrating for us particularly with outdated medications because of this:

Most of what is known about drug expiration dates comes from a study conducted by the Food and Drug Administration at the request of the military. With a large and expensive stockpile of drugs, the military faced tossing out and replacing its drugs every few years. What they found from the study is 90% of more than 100 drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, were perfectly good to use even 15 years after the expiration date.  (http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update1103a.shtml)

Jessenia in pharmacy photo by Meghan O'Flagherty

So my complaint is really with pharmaceutical companies dating medication so conservatively.  The above article says you can look at it as the companies giving you the most for your money, but with the top ten pharmaceutical companies making over 48 billion dollars in profits  last year alone, I tend to doubt that they have the health of the people of the world in mind. 

Pharmaceutical companies complain about Third World nations violating the patent laws and copying the company’s research and development work to make cheaper medications for their people.  Their complaint is that with patent violations they cannot make enough money to pay for the research and continue the research…but…Note:  48 billion dollars in profits.   To put that in perspective, expenditures of the entire Nicaraguan government  in 2012 were only 2.6 billion dollars.

So our clinic medicine costs go up, and who always bears the brunt of corporate greed?  The poor.  Who always bears the brunt of rising health care costs?  The poor.  Who will suffer if we have to cut back on our services to cover rising medicine costs?  The poor.  

Enough.       -Kathleen

Radiology at the Clinic

Jorge and patient with nurse Jane in 2001

Dr. Jorge Flores was our first doctor in the Nueva Vida clinic.  In July of 1999 we “inherited” the temporary clinic in Nueva Vida from a man who spent his life working in places that experience natural disasters. When Hurricane Mitch hit Nicaragua, the neighborhood of Nueva Vida was created from its victims who were flooded out of their homes near Lake Managua.  This man had committed to sponsoring and overseeing a clinic for six months, and he had hired Jorge to work half-time.

When we took over the clinic, I thought maybe it would be better to interview multiple candidates for the physician’s job and start fresh.  The Nueva Vida residents heard about that and had a different opinion.  They gathered signatures on a petition to keep Jorge on as the clinic’s physician.  We listened to the community, and boy, are we ever glad that we did! 
 
Jorge worked half-time for us for 10 years from 1999-2009 when he resigned in order to study radiology.  He received his radiology degree and is now back, working full-time with us. Currently he is treating patients from 8-5 Mon-Fri.  When we have an ultrasound machine (then x-ray, then mammogram capabilities, etc.), he will do radiology work during the hours that our other part-time doctors are seeing patients.  He will be our general physician during the hours when the pediatrician and the other general physician are not at the clinic.
 

Jorge and patient 2013

This will feed two birds with one piece of bread.  We will have 8-5 medical coverage by a doctor and we will be able to have a more integrated and holistic approach to our health care.
 
We have submitted two applications to received donated ultrasound machines, and are also looking for funds to buy one either used or new.  We prefer a portable one that will allow for examinations in the patient’s homes when they unable come to the clinic.  Jorge could also take a portable machine to more rural areas and to smaller towns.
 
Currently residents of Ciudad Sandino have to travel 10-25 kilometers to Managua to be put on a waiting list for an ultrasound in the public health care system.  While the ultrasound machine will be useful for all kinds of conditions, one example of how we will use the machine is in pregnancy.
 
Nicaragua has 21 cases of infant mortality per 1,000 live births (these are children who die before their first birthday); 12 cases of neonatal mortality per 1,000 live births (these are children who die before they are 28 days old); and 84 cases of maternal mortality per 100,000 live births (these are mothers who die during or shortly after they give birth).
The United States – which is not at the top of the list in the world due to its increasing poverty – has about 1/4 of these deaths.
 

Having access to ultrasounds will enable us to attempt to lower these statistics… or in lay terms: save the lives of babies and mommies.  -Kathleen

Economics Lessons from a 5 year old

I am in the States visiting family.  We went to the zoo.  On the way my grandson, Elliot, wanted to know why Nicaragua - meaning our house - was so far away.  Uncle Joseph, who is 17 and still lives in Nicaragua, was attempting to help him understand why we lived so far away, and then answer every question thereafter… Elliot is five.

I listened as Uncle Joseph tried to explain to Elliot about poor people.  After many questions came the one… “How can rich people make money from money?”  Jessica, Elliot’s mother, attempted an answer.

Note:  Elliot is a train enthusiast and – again- is five years old. 

“Let’s say Elliot, you buy a train for $100.  Then you sell tickets for $1 to ride the train.  When 100 people buy tickets you have gotten back the money you spent on the train, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So after you have sold 100 tickets all the other tickets you sell after that is how you make money.  You understand?”  (Remember he is five)

“But why can’t poor people make money?”

“Because poor people don’t have any money to buy a train with.  Poor people also have trouble getting jobs.”

“Why?”

“Well, you know how Nattie has to go to work in her car?”  

“Yeah.”

“Poor people don’t even have cars.”  (We were talking about Nicaragua.)

Silence for a bit.

“Why don’t the rich people give them rides in their cars?”

Why not, indeed.  -Kathleen