The Soup Run

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of going out with a few others giving out food and soup to some people in an area where homeless and very poor people congregate. It is something a group of people (mainly Chinese) do every Thursday and Sunday, giving out a cup of soup, 2 pieces of steamed bread and an Orange. I have already been out once before and both times it has been quite an experience. It is just so sad to see some of the situations people are in.

There was one man who's hands were both navy blue, i guess with frostbite. One of them was really swollen and deformed. It has been a really severe winter here so there are a lot of homeless people who have really struggled with the harsh conditions.

Next to him was a lady who looked as though she was in her fifties. She couldn't understand that we were trying to give her bread and only once the people around her took the bread did she take it. I think however that she had some kind of mental illness as soon afterwards she tarted babbling and banging her head against the wall.

Later on we met a man who's left hand was in bandages and only had it's middle finger left on it. He had cut his little finger at the start of the year and an infection had got in. He had been to the doctor and they had cut his thumb and three fingers off and bandaged him up. However the doctor told him because he had no money that was all he could do. He is still really sick he couldn't even talk very well, I think he probably had gangrene in his hand and would more than likely die if he didn't get some good medical attention. Thankfully the people that I went with have some financial backing to help people like this man and so he should get some help.

There are also a lot of young homeless people. We met a couple of lads who were 14 years old, and I also had a chat with a 17 year old guy. He has had a few jobs but hasn't been able to hold them down because he lacks maturity. He makes money buy going through litter bins picking out used drinking bottles. A normal bottle will get him 1 mao(about 0.7p) and he makes about 5 yuan a day(35p). As I was talking to him I felt really sorry for him, but I couldn't help feeling that in many ways he was to blame for his situation. He got fired from his jobs because he had been playing computer games all night and then turned up late for work. Now every week he saves up his money and spends a whole Saturday night in an internet cafe playing games. At first I thought "well that isn't a very sensible way to spend your money, especially when you are so poor" but then I realized that this was the only source of pleasure that he would have in his life, it would be a chance for him to escape the harsh reality that he lives in. Then wondered if I was in such a hopeless position; "would I be any different?"

For all of the people that we met I couldn't help feeling really helpless. I wish there was a way that I could offer them some sort of opportunity, that would change their lives long term. For now I guess that all I can do is continue to help them by giving the short term solutions like soup.