According to the website, almost three billion people in the world live in poverty. People that live in America and other wealthy countries don’t know how others’ live. People whine that they’re not getting the new Call of Duty Game when others don’t have food to feed their children. Not a lot of people appreciate what they have because they’re constantly wanting more and not satisfied. I’ve been in Palestine where people are living in tents, live on food from the trash, and people working in the fields all day in the intense heat.   

After the school year, everyone would be talking about where they’re going for summer break. One person was going to France, another was going to Florida, and my cousin was going to Germany. Everyone was excited, except me. I was going to Palestine, the most “fun” place in the word. When I first arrived in Palestine, I had to share a bed with my flabby cousin. I don’t like sharing a bed, period, specially sleeping on only 2% of the bed and with someone that smells like your business?! There were more mosquitos than air molecules in my grandparents’ house. Whenever I would eat, there would be mosquitos accompanying me, therefore, I would lose my appetite. The utensils were as dirty as the basement floor. I would clean everything thoroughly before and after I eat. I kept telling myself, “I just want to get out of here. I’m going have to wait two months without Wendy’s.”

A week into my “breathtaking” vacation, my grandfather told me that we’re going to one of his farms. And when I thought things couldn’t get worse. When we’re on our way, the only thing I could think of is the intense heat and my thirst. We arrived, and my mouth dropped when I saw the non-ending field. My grandfather told me that we’re not leaving until we’re finished picking in the tomato section. When I started, I already got hurt and started bleeding from all the thorns around the tomatoes.  I felt a waterfall of sweat dripping down my body. After thirty minutes picking, my legs felt like they were going to give up on me. I’ve never had to do anything like this in my life.

I needed a break, so I grabbed my bottle of water and sat on my grandfather’s filthy car. During my break, I was looking around to find other people farming near my grandfather’s. The farmers had dirty, ripped up clothing, scars on their body’s following with dirt on their face. I looked around more to find old, dirty couches outside tents. On the couch laid a sick child, crying, with his mother beside him praying that he would recover. I see fruit flies and mosquitos eating the sick boy’s family’s food. Seeing all of this made me feel empathy for them. It made me feel awful that I was complaining from the start I came to Palestine. I couldn’t believe that I was bleating because I was in the sun for a couple of hours when they work on fields every day. I abhorred myself for all the things I said. I wished the best for that family and hoped the boy will become healthy again.

It was getting late, so we left without finishing with the farm. During the car ride home, my grandfather told me, “The only reason I took you with me was for you to learn and to appreciate what you have. Some people have it easier than others. While you are complaining of what you eat, there are kids that die of starvation. When you had to share a bed, there are people that sleep without a roof above them. You made me upset when you were carping about everything you saw.” I had this weird feeling in my chest, it felt like I was shot. People that are spoiled, arrogant, and selfish must get everything their way, or they’ll make a big fuss. They don’t realize that there are people on the streets, searching for jobs, food, and a home. While those people suffer, there are people whining because their parents won’t take them to a Migos Concert. God gives people money, a family, job, and people still complain. And right after God takes that from them, they’ll be begging for food that’s eaten by fruit flies, a job on the fields, and a place to stay. At the end of the day, I was content with the fact that I was forced to go picking and start appreciating what I have more.