Meeting #5

Even though I hadn't met with Rayan and Hanah in what seemed like forever, the conversation flowed and I learned even more about their native country of Saudi Arabia.

After I told Rayan and Hanah about LEAPS at TCU, we began to discuss the homeless population in Fort Worth and in their city back home.

In Saudi Arabia, or in their city at least, "soup kitchens" do not exist. The homeless can acquire food in 3 different ways. They can go to restaurants and tell the owner that they do not have enough money to buy food, and the owner will give it to them for free. Also at local markets, there are signs offering free food that people can walk up and eat. Another way of acquiring food is through direct donations of others in the city.

Rayan and Hanah send money to Hanah's mother every month, and she uses that money to purchase food and that goes directly to families in need. However there is not one general place that people go to get served food.

I asked Rayan and Hanah if there was a problem with lying and saying that you had no money for food when actually you didn't want to spend money. They said in general no, if you're going to ask for food then you really need food. Those without money won't lie and claim that they don't have any just to get some extra change. Also, the restaurants and supermarkets have cameras, so they can see if people continue to come back. Hanah told me about some children that sit outside of the restaurants asking for food, and once they are given some they scarf it right down. They are kids that really don't have another source of nourishment.

Rayan said it is common for people to walk up behind you in line at a supermarket or restaurant and ask for you to pay for them. He said he always does, and then he brushed it off like it was something that was expected of him. I think this is truly the social norm in the city. There is no questioning of whether the hungry and homeless will be helped or not. An effort is always made by other people of the city. 

They told me that the wealthy people in their city build giant apartment complexes for the homeless in the city. They said an individual building could probably hold between 300-400 people. This is because the families normally share rooms and multiple people live in a single space. 

I learned a lot in our meeting, and it's hard to believe that we only have 2 more meetings before summer break!