Hollywood, CA vs. Guatemala

Well, I was a far cry from Hollywood CA last week. I had the chance to go to Guatemala for the week through the organization that I work with. Let me tell you, it certainly reinforced many of the reasons for doing this compact.

I had the chance to go to the home of a girl that Bob and I sponsor. Many of you may have seen pictures of what poverty looks like, but seeing it through the eyes of a family that lives it day in and day out is quite extraordinary. They work so very hard for so very little, but they survive. I found myself realizing that even though I have given up buying anything new for the next year, I still have the capacity to buy something if I really wanted to. These families are living this way for what will probably be the rest of their lives. This is no compact for them—it is reality. For most of them, there is not an option to leave poverty behind.

I did actually buy a few things while I was in Guatemala. There was a class of learning disabled young adults who made jewelry to sell at the Common Hope site. Most kids who are learning disabled have absolutely no chance of being able to help support their families financially. These kids get to bring home the money they get from selling their jewelry. One girl’s family wouldn’t have had anything to eat one night had it not been for the money she had made selling a few of her pieces. Needless to say, I bought a necklace and a pair of earrings. Both will be gifts I will give to someone, along with a little write up about the person who made them.
It is good to be back home again. However, I have left part of my heart in Guatemala among the gentle-spirited people who struggle to make it through each day with enough food for their family, yet offer pop and fresh bread and beans to a stranger. And I, being the stranger, gratefully accept it knowing that hospitality is part of their culture, even when it means they may not have enough food to eat for their next meal.
-Lori

Used Sunglasses in Hollywood

I am in Los Angeles on business this week and am visiting my son who is here for the semester on an internship. His internship in at ASCAP in Hollywood, and he has an apartment in West Hollywood. (Well, calling it an apartment is an exaggeration, it is actually more like a large closet with a bathroom!)

Anyway, I got here and realized I had forgotten my sunglasses at home. How was I ever going to find used sunglasses in Hollywood, CA?! I was resigned to squinting for a couple days to keep our compact promise.

As I was walking down Santa Monica Blvd to find lunch, I spotted a small shop selling used men’s designer clothes. I went in and was disappointed to find that, while they had lots of used clothes, the only sunglasses I saw were designer glasses for $100-$150 a pair. As silly as it seemed I asked a young clerk if they had any used sun glasses and was surprised when she said, “Yes we have some in a case over here”. Lo and behold there was a small case of used sunglasses for $10 each right in the middle of Hollywood…who would have guessed!

I ended up having a nice conversation with the clerk about The Compact and she was very interested. I guess I will never assume anything about finding and using used stuff the rest of the year!

-Bob

The Mall

Well it has been two months and other than our doorknob dilemma (see the previous post), we have had very little trouble buying nothing new so far. I found a used sweater at the Salvation Army store that I liked, and I have been wearing it just about every other day. I think I am wearing it so much just to train myself not to worry about what people think when I have the same darn sweater on all the time!

I bought a new pair of glasses recently, my prescription has changed and my old lenses were scratched. Obviously new lenses to match my prescription are OK to buy, but what about the frames? I guess I could have just had the lenses replaced in my old frames, but the frames were a little bent and did not fit as well as they should so I decided that this in not contrary to our pledge. Am I already starting to rationalize things too easily? A door knob, new glasses…what will I buy next and say it is OK because I come up with a good sounding reason?

I walked through the mall to get the glasses and had an interesting experience. As I looked around it hit me that I could not buy anything I was seeing. There was so much stuff packed in that huge mall, but I realized there was almost nothing there that I actually NEEDED. Imagine that…10’s of thousands of square feet of stuff we don’t need! This is our world.

Ok I am probably just being a little strange now, but it was actually kind of a freeing feeling.

-Bob