Tuesday, April 3, 2012.    Housing

     The argument for "good" housing.   First of all, it seems that I should think of the others who live in what our system thinks of  as "not so good" housing.   I suppose about 1/2 or more of the people on the earth live in "crappy" housing.  This ranges from America where millions live in run down apartments to India, Africa, Mexico,  or wherever else where they live in plywood or cardboard made shelters.  Lots of people!   So, what do I do.
     I don't know.   First, I can't solve it.   Second, I could give up everything and make a small size shelter that will make any difference to them.  Third, I can't make any donation to anyone who will make a difference to them.   Fourth I can't go to the place and show them how to build something better unless I think it's better for me as well  
    I remember when I used to go to Mexico and spend four or five days there and take 30 or so kids along.  When we returned to the comfort or our current homes we felt so good about what the exercise had done to us.  We felt good about what our laber had done with the people there.  But we also had a  "funny" feeling about how that housing wasn't really enough.   We would never want to live in it ourselves.  We left it behind gladly.  It wasn't really good enough for us So, what will relieve this feeling.   Either insist on more adequate housing  for the  poor, or live in their models ourselves, and sell our models to willing neighbors (through education), or just shut up.
     I was talking this morning with my daughter and her close friend, and they seemed to more or less
with this thinking.   Get some land and build our own safe place with a minimum requirement with patterns we see or do in places such as Mexico.   There is a lot to think about here.