As these boys came up to our taxi to beg for a few pesos they were making funny faces at their friend looking through the opposite window on the other side of the car. They tapped the window, asked for pesos, and went on their way playing on the side of the road. Seeing their joy makes me wonder if these poor children are happier than the average American kid whose “supposed happiness” depends on what they have.
I saw these boys in the slums of Phnom Penh having fun and playing next to the drainage canal for the neighborhood. It continues to make me wonder if the real travesty in being poor lies in finding out that you are poor.
During my last trip to Cebu I was fortunate enough to visit a club meeting of Younglife Philippines. There were about 50 young people ranging from high school to early college. The energy and happiness of these students was highly contagious, you couldn’t find a single frown in the entire bunch. They were some of the funnest people I have ever spent time with.
