“You have probably heard this phrase a million times. Money is a tricky question because if you do not have it, you want more of it, and even if you do, you want to earn more of it.”
As I reflect on the lives of the many different people, families, and disabled individuals I’ve had the privilege to work with under the Social Services and Disabilities Organisations in New Zealand, I am struck by their resilience. Despite being underfunded and understaffed, these organisations provide crucial support to those in need. It’s a testament to the strength and determination of these individuals that they continue to persevere, even when the system fails them.
We are not rich in finances of wealth as we get older, for example, over 60 years. Our health declines each month or year paying house mortgages, loans, bills, food, petrol/diesel like you while the world of finances grows worse, with the economy forcing many people off work, businesses shutting down, and an increasing number of people living in poverty in New Zealand. For example, 122% of children live in the worst poverty homes or have no home. New Zealand is smaller than any other country, but other countries follow the same pattern of influx finances, high taxes, higher poverty and homelessness in the wealthy countries.
One day, I was sitting in the car while the Somalian Deaf lady went to her shopping errands at Five Cross Road, Claudelands, Waikato. Jamila (not the actual name of this person here) came back and sat in the car while I asked her if everything was okay when she did the shopping alone. Suddenly, a young girl around eleven or twelve years old was tapping the car window and her hands out as she begged us to give any money. I declined her because I knew her parents, who visited many social services offices around Hamilton and tricked many staff members into more cash and food assistance. Why? The parent lives in a reasonable home with enough income to live. The parent taught their children to be beggars anywhere in the car park, shopping mall, or park. It is all about greed, lack of empathy for other people’s wealth other than themselves, even scammers, ripping off, fleecing other people’s finances away, fabricated stories and many other issues. This is a stark reminder of the negative impact of greed on our society.
Mother Teresa, a revered figure in social justice, once said, ‘We sometimes think that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.’ These words hold a powerful message for each one of us. They remind us that we all have a role in addressing poverty, starting from our homes and communities. It’s a call to action, a reminder that we can all make a difference if we act with empathy and understanding.
Many social media platforms, such as Meta (Facebook), Whatsapp, and video game media, can be good or bad. Still, they are not designed to prevent scammers, hackers, or false marketing to all disabled people, D/deaf people, and older people because of ableism, a form of discrimination or social prejudice against people with disabilities. Many social media often lead to these individuals being targeted for scams or not being provided with the necessary accessibility features. I know several D/deaf people have been hacked many times via advertisements or YouTube videos/fake profiles. Online banking, gift cards, loan sharks and Apple iTunes/App gift cards are among the worst scammers and hackers. Jean’s Deaf History International Facebook page was hacked in March 2024. Unfortunately, the Meta Support Service was not there to assist because there was no human contact service. The Meta Support Service was ableism and failed to deliver goodwill in resolving the problem and restoring the Facebook page.
When I was a deaf teacher aide to a Deaf student at an intermediate school, one of the students in the same classroom took my laptop behind my back and quickly closed the lid when I turned around and noticed something was not right. This student did not ask my permission to use my laptop in the classroom. I suspected one of the students, so again, with my different laptop several weeks later, and this student tried to attempt, but the teacher and I caught this student in red hand. This student could not access my laptop due to a biometric need instead of a code breaker. Three of us went to the principal’s office, and the student’s father attended the meeting. I discovered this father from the past; I knew him well for his hatred toward disabled people in society and his lack of empathy, brazen, selfish, cold man and remorse. This father and the student do not care about other people; they feel superior to us with wealth, selfishness, and greed in the community. Several years later, I learnt of them before my volunteering visit to one of the Deaf adults for his literacy lesson in prison under the Social Service Trust where I work. The father’s business went to receivership, and the student went to jail for being corrupt over finances and bribing the tax department in a different company. They have not learnt anything about good deeds in the community. The father passed away a couple of years ago as a broken man, and I understood his funeral was not a whole house; just 6-10 people attended.
Did Jesus teach us to be rich or poor? Jesus said things like, ‘Woe to you rich,’ Luke 6:24, and ‘Blessed are the poor,’ Luke 6:20. These teachings are not about the inherent moral value of wealth or poverty but rather about the dangers of becoming too attached to material wealth and the blessings that come from a humble and compassionate heart.
“When someone lives in poverty, they struggle to afford the basic necessities of live. On the other hand, having wealth allows one to live an excessive life in terms of material and non-material goods.”
Our Government has gone backward, forcing many businesses into receivership, raising the cost of power and cutting back funding. They have broken the promise to deliver Health Sectors, Disability Organisations, Whaikaha, EGL (Enabling Good Lives), and others. This broken promise has devastated these sectors, leading to a lack of resources and support for those in need.
Christmas is drawing, and we have lost more than four of the largest companies/mills in New Zealand. and the largest company was lost in Timaru because “Falling stock numbers and a shift in land use from farming to forestry are being cited as the reasons behind the proposed closure of the Alliance Group’s meatworks in Timaru.” More than 600 employees will be laid off work before Christmas this year. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/529290/what-s-behind-the-proposed-closure-of-alliance-group-s-meatworks-in-timaru
Proverbs 23:4-5 – Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven. Solomon mocks lazy people and warns them to expect poverty and family shame.
We are not the only country in despair, facing poverty and hardship. Australia, the UK, the USA, and Europe have the same problems with their governments and financial crises. Their Governments have gone backward, just like ours. Failure is a leadership tool; where does the skilled leadership person run a good shape?
Thousands of people aged 14 to 99 live in cars, tents, parks, empty warehouses, buildings, bridges, and streets. Disabled people live in vehicles, carports without kitchens and bathrooms, make-shift homes next to strangers’ homes or family’s home property, and in garages or caravans without power.
Every Monday, our workplace (Social Services Trust) runs a community lunch meal except during the Christmas and New Year Holiday seasons. Many homeless people, disabled people, and low-income people come with gold donation coins. We have a list of support networks, and the Church organisations assist with preparing community meals. We receive many foods donated from supermarkets, local schools, church groups, and businesses, and Jean often donates vegetables and fruits from our large property to them.
“Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.” Nelson Mandela
Life in Eureka 