Here There and Everywhere

Back it Up! #1

It’s easy to get discouraged when bad news strikes, and especially when a lot of bad news strikes at once.

In the midst of the Turkish blogging blockage, and in the midst of the Kuwait blogger crisis, the heavens open and a great light brightens the whole day:

I guess the Kuwait Times didn’t think this story was important enough to put it online, but in Sunday’s Kuwait Times (August 19), page 5, there are two photos of ARLA Food staff members helping out the 1,300 Bangladeshi workers who have been in on strike trying to get paid and to get decent, reliable living conditions.

Now this is what I call backing it up – they show up with food, AND they donate a refrigerator to keep the cold food cold. (I hope there is someplace the workers can plug the refrigerator in!)

“The Arla Food staff members were accompanied by Reverend Andy Thompson, who oversaw the distribution of the aid.”

I know the good Reverend Andy Thompson. He is passionate about his faith, and he lives his faith. He is appalled that we can become so callous, so hard hearted about the conditions of these workers, the poorest of the poor, earning KD20 a month, and trying to live, eat and send money home on those wages – when they get paid.

But Andy Thompson is doing something about it. Working with other committed local citizens, he is working on the most basic level to make sure these workers are getting food to eat, while at the same time trying to find some way to make sure these workers get their lawful rights.

I read the Qur’an, but I am not very good at remembering where I read what I remember. I remember a verse about being sure the sweat has not dried on the laboror’s back before you pay him. How can an employer not pay his employees?

Bless you, ARLA Food staff members, for your generous donation, and your caring service to these workers, and bless you, Father Andy, and prosper the work of your hands!

August 20, 2007 - Posted by intlxpatr | Blogging, Bureaucracy, Community, Cross Cultural, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, News, Social Issues, Spiritual