Who is Really Helpless

My friend Caitlin recently blogged a post about seven things she wish she had known before going to Africa. It brought my mind back to my time in Cambodia and how some of those very same things I wished I would have known as well, but it also got me thinking about all the misconceptions we tend to have about 3rd world countries. There are a lot; I really just want to hit the major one: that they are in need of our help because they can't make it on their own.

Yes, Cambodia is a 3rd world country. Yes, there are still parts that are dangerous. Yes, they don't have a fantastic government or political stance. Yes, there are families that are poor. BUT that doesn't mean they are helpless.

We tend to assume that a 3rd world country is constantly in need of outside help. That they need us. Wrong.

I have found that people living in Cambodia are generally the most content and happy people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Also every one, and I mean everyone has a vehicle. Whether it is a dirt bike, truck, or ready for this, Lexus. Yes, Lexus. I know this surprises a lot of you, but most Cambodians do in fact own cars of which most are a form of a Lexus. And, you're thinking sweet they have cars, nice cars, that they drive on dirt roads.

Fun Fact: Vietnam came in a paved all of their roads and installed street lights.

Not only that but they all own a phone of some sort. No, they aren't the fancy dancy smart phones that we all know and probably have an obsession with at times, but they do have fully functioning phones available to them.

They also, side note, have the most fantastic packing skills that I have ever seen; not so much with their electrical wiring. But hey as long as you have power it doesn't have to be pretty right?

They also as you can see in the above picture do not all live in shacks or in trees or in the streets. They do have houses and apartments. I will be the first to tell you some of those homes were simply beautiful. Now Cambodia is hot and a completely different culture, so their idea of amenities and furniture is very different then ours. So, that did take some getting use to on my part because I still had that must help the helpless mentality. I learned to overcome that really fast. I have never been more humbled than the time I spent in Cambodia.

Now, I do have to mention about the danger still present in Cambodia because I can't just sugar coat it or lie about it. Cambodia does not have a great government or political system currently, but they are doing the very best with what they have. I think we forget that in the late 1970s they experienced the worst genocide ever done to one countries own people by a group called the Khmer Rouge. They are still present in northeastern Cambodia today. So, in 30ish years they've at least made some progress in the right direction.

Like I said before these are the happiest people you will ever meet.

3rd World Countries are not helpless. The are fully capable, fully content, and living each day to the fullest. Something I tent to forget to do myself. Maybe instead of assuming the helplessness of those in other countries, we should look at what it means to be happy and stop trying to fix what doesn't need to be fixed.