Rice Line

This is the scene every Wednesday morning at the bottom of the hill that leads to the little children's home and Shiphrah Birthing home. Early on Wednesday mornings hundreds of impoverished residents of Taytay, Rizal, Philippines grab the U.S. equivalent of 2.50 and line up for at least four city blocks, waiting patiently for the government rice distribution truck to appear. For their P100, they get 5.25 kilos of rice. That will last a family of five, two parents and three children, about 2 1/2 days. The quality of the rice varies, some being fairly decent, some being old and moldy. Word on the street has it that how good the rice is depends on which distribution point you go to. Folk at this particular one say the rice is acceptable. Better than none at all.

People are discouraged. One lady, referring to Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who had just made her State of the Nation address the day before these pictures were taken, and had told the people to "just work harder.." said, "She doesn't care about us. She only cares about herself. I don't pay any attention to her anymore."

We watch the U.S. stock market writhe and gasp, massive, powerful firms frantically scouring the terrain for bailouts and deals, scrabbling to stay alive. Welcome to the world of the poor. They do that every single day. The rice lines exist because of the corrupt greed of others. Financial well-being is not a sin. The amassing of wealth is.

The sign on the truck reads "From President Gloria. Rice of/for the town. Fighting Poverty". To bring this home...our careworker, Generosa...those of you who have adopted tlc children know her....is in the righthand corner of the picture, waiting to buy her rice. Even those who, like Generosa, have steady work, can no longer afford to buy all their rice in the markets anymore. She is but one of hundreds in the Wednesday rice line.