Poverty Simulation

Wednesday 11-9-16

after 40 hours of poverty

    That evening, we started our poverty simulation. We were allowed one hygiene item (I chose my toothbrush), a notebook, pen, sleeping bag (I brought an emergency bivvy), and one extra item (my Adventure Hat of course).
    The budget of a person in poverty was explained to us, and we were given $45 in “real-fake money” to use in different parts of our simulation. We were brought to a mock thrift store and told to buy new shoes and a shirt to wear for the rest of the 40 hours. I found a raggedy shirt with lovely pockets. I actually really loved the shirt. I also found some huge pink water shoes and I was drawn to them. We set up camp in a concrete room. I slept in a homey nook with Maddie and Michelle.

Thursday 11-10-16

    I woke up slightly cold. It was dark, and I had no way of knowing what time it was. I wanted to stay up if it was a reasonable hour (by Beccca’s standards), but I also didn’t want to sit awake for hours on end only to find out that it was three in the morning. I wandered around the room aimlessly for half an hour hoping to get a clue as to the time. I finally found a small digital clock display near a doorway, but I did not want to trust the time it said. I promised myself that the next time I found out the real time I would compare it to the digital clock to see how incorrect it was, and went back to sleep.
    Tony woke us up at 8:00 and I immediately checked to see the clock. It was only off by an hour, and I had been up at six that morning. I skipped breakfast in order to conserve my resources. I was happy about my decision because breakfast turned out to be pretty iffy that morning anyway.
    We drew cards of chance that could either cost us money or give us money. These cards were to represent the unpredictable things that happen in our real lives that we need to be prepared for. On my card, I discovered that I have diabetes and needed to buy insulin. The insulin ended up being the same price breakfast would have been, so it sort of canceled it out.
    We were told to wander until 1:30pm. We had nothing with us other than a list of things to try to experience. We had to get food somehow. We found a few churches and talked to some people. We interviewed a man standing on the corner of a street. We did some stuff and dug through dumpsters but never found anything.
    We found a soup kitchen and stood in line in the basement of a Lutheran church. We got a bowl of grits, a bowl of mashed potatoes, some scrambled eggs and sausage, some water, a piece of toast, and some little bit of a yummy cake thing. People were rude to us. We could hear them talking about us. We felt bad for taking food when we weren't really in poverty, but we had no other way to get lunch. Some people in our group got flipped off. One man on the street yelled "trump voters!" At us over and over as we wandered by. We collected cans as we walked.
    Our group began to crumble emotionally. Some people were on the verge of tears. then we found a different church and asked about the cans. I was really embarrassed so I hid in the hall. The pastor figured out that we were with the program because she had seen other people over the years. She let us tour her church. She noticed everyone was sad and talked to some of us about it. She let us sit silently and alone in the beautiful sanctuary area of this Lutheran church with stained glass windows and a huge organ. Everyone sat quietly. Eventually, we got up and started back to COAH.
    Our Next activity was giving out free Kool-aid and prayer in the neighborhoods. It was really encouraging, and I managed to sell a cup of Kool-aid to Lyvia for $1 of real-fake money. I guess the sob story I had invented the night before was really convincing.
    It felt weird to not have rings on my fingers or have a clue what time it was. I really missed the short conversations I have with Jaren and the emotional support that he offers me. My next card told me that I got a new job, but I needed to pay to commute. Also, I got $2 for helping Tony with something.
    That evening, we all had to go to a banquet. We were all given a bead and told to sit at the tables with the corresponding color. I got a white bead, which put me on the floor. Other people had fancy excessive meals, some had just average food, and the rest of us had bologna on bread and some ramen while was sat on the ground.
Throughout the meal, different aspects of real life were being demonstrated to us. Differences between the working classes, how people are treated, and how food is wasted. The whole thing was interesting and fun to participate in. That evening, I sold a plastic baggie for $1 of real-fake money to Lyvia.

Friday 11-11-16

    I woke up at 6:30 and thought I would stay up. I am used to being awake and getting things done before everyone else opens their eyes. I had one problem: There was nothing for me to do. Usually, I can be productive, but I also usually have more than a toothbrush. It was too dark to write in my journal at all, so I sat up in my sleeping bag against a wall and stared straight ahead until I decided there was no reason to stay awake anymore. Yes, the hopeless early bird succumbed to sleep.
    I decided to buy breakfast that day. My kid needed money for a school uniform. We watched a documentary about child poverty in the USA. This whole experience just made me realize how people in poverty are not actually all that different from me.
    I had seven real-fake dollars left, and Michelle had none. I gave my money to her for lunch and decided not to eat. After that, the simulation ended. I took a much-needed shower and did my devotions with a substantially more thankful heart than I had 40 hours prior.